Mortgage brokers traditionally have specialized in doing business locally. The reasons for this are simple: most home loans were generated face-to-face. In more recent times, large mortgage companies had used the telephone and the internet as a way to expand beyond their localities and compete on a national level. While many of these companies have found great success, the smaller mortgage companies have been forced to compete with competition from foreign states.

Net branches arose as a solution to this problem. A net branch allows a mortgage professional to essentially open a franchised office of a larger company. This larger company usually lends nationally, or at the very least lends in multiple states. Licensing requirements vary from state to state, generally costs from several hundred to several thousands of dollars, and often has educational requirements that must be met before the license is issued. By joining a net branch, the small broker is able to compete more effectively on a national level.

The problem with net branches is that they often require the broker to surrender his/her license and assume a completely new identity. This might be fine for someone just starting in the industry, but the veteran broker who has spent years developing his company