RenoFi hires Brandon Silvia as national production leader to drive renovation lending growth

Philadelphia-based RenoFi announced Wednesday that it has hired Brandon Silvia as executive vice president and national production leader, moving to the renovation financing platform from top-10 U.S. mortgage lender Rate.

Silvia will oversee all sales and production operations nationwide, with a mandate to scale volume, grow RenoFi’s originator network and boost adoption of its artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled renovation lending platform.

He previously served as senior vice president of national branch partnerships and strategic growth at Rate, where he built and led mortgage teams that produced “billions per year” in originations, according to a RenoFi press release.

“RenoFi is building the most compelling platform in renovation finance while aggressively competing in the traditional mortgage space,” Silvia said in a statement. “For the retail originator, RenoFi presents the best option for true origination growth and referral source diversification.”

At RenoFi, Silvia is expected to recruit top-producing mortgage loan originators across the country and drive “billions in net new production volume” through the company’s renovation and mortgage products, AI agents and underwriting platform in 2026 and beyond, the company said.

Justin Goldman, co-founder and CEO of RenoFi, said Silvia’s track record in building scalable sales organizations and recruiting talent is central to the firm’s next growth stage.

“Brandon is exactly the type of leader we look for at RenoFi, strategic, operationally excellent, and relentlessly focused on execution,” Goldman said. “As we continue to expand our platform, lender network and national footprint, Brandon’s leadership will be instrumental in helping us reach tens of thousands of homeowners across the country.”

The addition of Silvia comes a month after the company closed a $22 million Series B funding round led by Fifth Wall, along with participation from Progressive Insurance and other new investors. The funding brought RenoFi’s total capital raised to $65 million.

This week, a report from New York-based Block Renovation found that homeowners continue to renovate for improved living conditions and flexibility rather than higher resale values. The report also noted that multigenerational households and demand for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are on the rise, despite persistent inflation and higher interest rates that can limit budgets.

Silvia will lead RenoFi’s national sales organization, production operations and growth initiatives, working with lender partners, embedded finance platforms and internal leadership to increase AI adoption, improve conversion rates and expand in key markets.

RenoFi is part of a growing segment of lenders and fintechs targeting renovation-specific financing as existing-home inventory remains tight and higher mortgage rates discourage moves. Renovation loans tied to after-repair value can give originators a way to win business from equity-light homeowners who would otherwise be shut out of large projects.

For retail loan officers, RenoFi is pitching itself as a way to add specialized renovation products on top of standard mortgage offerings. A national production leader with a large retail background signals that the company wants to compete more directly with traditional mortgage lenders for purchase and refinance business, not just one-off renovation transactions.

RenoFi, founded in 2018, has created what it calls the first renovation home equity line of credit that uses a home’s after-repair value rather than current value. The company says it has helped finance more than $2 billion in renovations and operates in 48 states through a network of credit union and lender partners.

Neil Pierson reported and wrote this article with drafting assistance from HousingWire Automation, an editorial tool that helps transform announcements and industry data into HousingWire-style news coverage.