About Our Company

What makes us different?

Most people don’t fully appreciate a smooth home loan experience until they have had a bad experience. We’ve spent decades refining our operational processes, vetting lenders, testing new mortgage technology, and closing loans – all in an effort to provide the best experience to the borrower possible.

Mortgage Brokers

We work with a portfolio of lenders to find the right home for your loan.

Expert Originators

Often the difference between getting a home or not

More Loan Options

Access all of the loan types that can help you into your new home

Competitive Rates

Shopping with over 25 lenders ensures that you will get the best rate

Personalized Service

You will work directly with your Loan Originator. No go-betweens.

Our company’s journey

Over 20 years ago Uptown Mortgage was founded by Lana Jern out of the living room of her home in the Uptown district in Denver, CO. Her background had been in processing mortgages for other loan originators and she believed that she could structure a better loan experience for homebuyers. Driven by her strong entrepreneurial spirit and soft-spoken leadership style she began building the framework of one of the top mortgage brokerages in Colorado.

Since then, we have helped thousands of our clients become homeowners. Our headquarters is now located in Lower Downtown Denver (LoDo). The company has also grown in size and reach, with a staff of licensed originators that are able to assist homebuyers in states other than Colorado.

Our mission of creating an exceptional home loan experience for every borrower that walks through our doors is as fundamental to our success now as it was back then.

We achieve this primarily through the service we provide. You will work directly with your mortgage professional and their processor to get your loan to the finish line.

As proud Mortgage Brokers, we’ve built our success on the relationships we’ve developed over 20 years with a network of wholesale lenders. This network allows us to provide our clients with exceptional service and competitive rates. It also allows us to find the right lender for more challenging loan situations or property types.

Because the origin of our company was rooted in the operations side of the mortgage industry, our processes and technology are second to none. The people who work for us and the systems we’ve built with them are what drive our success and borrower experience. Our licensed mortgage professionals are the best in the business. Figuring out difficult loans is what we do.

Purchasing or refinancing a home is a big deal, and you should be thoughtful about who you choose to work with. Since 2000, we’ve been successfully helping people navigate the home loan process. Reach out to us today and let one of our professionals help guide you on your mortgage journey.

Start the Process

Lana Jern
Owner / MLO
NMLS # 268711

Read about our borrower loan experiences

We worked with Jason Kauffman from Uptown Mortgage and the process was smooth from start to finish. Jason was responsive and was able to answer all of our questions along the way. If you’re looking for a straightforward mortgage loan, with a professional and accessible broker, then look no further than Jason from Uptown Mortgage. I will be recommending their services to friends and family in the future.

Robert C.

If you're reading this, do yourself a favor and end your loan search with Jason! My husband and I just closed on our first home with Jason by our side, and...

Jenna S.

If you're reading this, do yourself a favor and end your loan search with Jason! My wife and I just closed on our first home with Jason by our side, and we truly couldn't have done it without him. His kindness, competence, team, systems, and problem-solving abilities are unmatched. Not to mention, he secured the best rate for us—and I got five different quotes! I can't say enough good things about him and his business. Trust me when I say you'll want someone like Jason on your side when you're getting a loan—you won't regret it!

Vince S.

Jason Kauffman did a fantastic job for me!!!!! I was going through a divorce along with having to refinance, and on top of that I had to change my homeowners insurance as well. Jason held me in his arms like a little infant. No matter how hard and frustrating the situation was Jason and his professional staff along with his professional contacts were there for me. They helped me with all my refinance questions, legal questions, and even a new insurance provider.
I will definitely refer Jason and even come back to refinance if the rates drops. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, LET THEM DROP…..
Thank you Jason and your team of professionals.

Jose A.

Jason was absolutely incredible to work with! From start to finish, he was professional, diligent, and made the entire mortgage process seamless. He explained everything in a way that was easy to understand and was always available to answer any questions, no matter how small.

His expertise and dedication gave me confidence every step of the way, and his responsiveness made the process stress-free. I highly recommend Jason and Uptown Mortgage to anyone looking for a smooth and reliable mortgage experience.

Tyler B.

This is the second time we have used Jason at Uptown Mortgage to purchase a home and both times have been amazing. We recently closed on our new house and Jason was able to work with our unusual financial situation to not only get us qualified for more money but also get us a great rate!

Andrew G.

This is the second time we have used Jason at Uptown Mortgage to purchase a home and both times have been amazing. We recently closed on our new house and...

Andrew G.

Jason is absolutely amazing. He was my first phone call when I decided to pursue my new condo. He guided me through each step, was very patient with all of my questions, and kept me updated through the whole process. He made it easy to get the information necessary to complete the loan process. I couldn't be happier. I definitely recommend Uptown Mortgage and Jason especially!

Mikey S.

Jason is absolutely amazing. He was my first phone call when I decided to pursue my new condo. He guided me through each step, was very patient with all...

Mikey S.

Great. Service from Jason and his Team. They work very hard to make sure my loan is processed quickly. I would definitely recommend them.

Lisa G.

Jason Kauffman was AMAZING to work with from start to finish in the home buying process. My husband and I are first time homeowners, and Jason not only made us feel confident, but secured us MUCH better financing than any of the other lenders we talked to were able to offer (and we talked to 4 total). We truly could not have gotten the home we did without Jason and the Uptown Mortgage team!!

Claire H.

Jason Kauffman was AMAZING to work with from start to finish in the home buying process. My husband and I are first time homeowners, and Jason not only made...

Claire H.

We closed on our first home this morning with the complete guidance and services of Lana Jern! We initially reached out to Lana almost a year ago to begin our home purchasing journey. Lana gave us great advice to help get our credit where it needed to be in order to make our purchase! We recommend her to anyone looking for a lender to work with.

Oakwood Falls Contracting L.

We have worked with Lana, and her team, on numerous home purchases and refinances.
Having been a freelance / contract employee for a couple of our mortgages, the team at Uptown had to really put in the work getting us the loan we wanted.
We have recommended them to friends, and they always spoke highly of their experience as well. We recommend Uptown Mortgage to anyone looking for a mortgage on a new home or to refinance.

Jeremiah H.

We have used Jason and Uptown Mortgage for both a purchase and a refinance and have been extremely satisfied. Both times, Jason was incredibly helpful...

Eric B.

We had the pleasure of having Lana and Ed as well as there amazing team assist us with our first home buying process. The communication, dedication and motivation with this team was above exceptional. Each step of the way Lana and Ed would go above and beyond to clarify any questions we had. If your looking for a supportive, kind and family type feel in a home buying experience I highly recommend Lana Jern and Ed Finn!

Tiffany F.

Had a great experience working with Jason Kauffman from Uptown Mortgage! This was our first home, so we were brand new to the buying process. Jason helped walk us though everything we needed to know and was always available to answer questions. He was pivotal in our home buying process go so smoothly.

In addition the process of uploading all of our documents with Uptown Mortgage was straight forward and made the process a breeze.

Emma M.

Had a great experience working with Jason Kauffman from Uptown Mortgage! This was our first home, so we were brand new to the buying process. Jason helped...

Emma M.

I dont normally leave reviews, but Lana and her team are top notch. We’ve used uptown mortgage twice and they have made the buying process as enjoyable as it can be. She also does a great job explaining things in a way that is easy to understand.

Alec C.

Lana and her entire team are amazing. My husband and I used Uptown Mortgage in 2018 for the purchase of our first home, then again last month for the purchase of our second. We ALMOST lost the deal, but because of Lana’s quick thinking and creativity we were able to push it through the finish line. THANKS AGAIN!!!! I recommend their team to anyone and everyone.

Ashley A.

Lana Jern and her entire team are amazing. My husband and I used Uptown Mortgage in 2018 for the purchase of our first home, then again last month for the...

Ashley A.

I recently worked with Jason from Uptown Mortgage, and I have to say, he was fantastic! From the start, Jason made everything super easy to understand and was always there to answer my questions, no matter how many I had.

Jason was really on top of things and always got back to me quickly. He explained everything in a way that made sense and made sure I felt comfortable throughout the whole mortgage process. I never felt rushed or confused, thanks to his clear communication.

In the end, Jason helped me secure a great mortgage deal that fit my needs perfectly. His dedication and personalized service truly made a difference. If you need a mortgage broker who genuinely cares and knows their stuff, Jason at Uptown Mortgage is your guy. He turned a potentially stressful experience into a smooth and positive one. Highly recommended!

Jacob H.

I recently worked with Jason from Uptown Mortgage, and I have to say, he was fantastic! From the start, Jason made everything super easy to understand and...

Jacob H.

Would highly recommend Jason Kauffman and the whole Uptown Mortgage team! He was extremely communicative and professional in helping us with our home purchase. He also explained all of our options very clearly and in an understandable way. This was especially helpful as first time home buyers. We will absolutely recommend Jason and Uptown mortgage to others looking to purchase a home.

Daniel E.

Would highly recommend Jason Kauffman and the whole Uptown Mortgage team! He was extremely communicative and professional in helping us with our home...

Daniel E.

Jason was easy to work with and very patient during a lengthy home search. I never felt pressured, and he was always eager to help. Would use again without hesitation!

Adam K.

Jason was easy to work with and very patient during a lengthy home search. I never felt pressured, and he was always eager to help. Would use again without...

Adam K.

Barbara and her team did a fantastic job with my complicated situation. They were able to qualify a new condo complex for VA status and secure the a good rate loan within the standard 30 day window. They also kept me apprised of the situation the whole way and helped me to make informed decisions to keep everything on track. Many thanks to her and her team, and I highly recommend their excellent services.

Gav H.

My husband and I used Barbara when we were in the process of buying a home and we had the best experience! She was so helpful with presenting us our options and made our first-time home buying process as smooth as possible. She was responsive and always keeping us updated throughout the whole process. Any questions were responded to quickly and we felt confident going into closing day. Highly recommend Barbara!

Alex R.

Jason is patient, professional, and so knowledgeable. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and were taken care of throughout our entire (11-month long) home-buying journey. We are so thankful for Jason's help. He went above and beyond expectations by making himself available to us, making sure we felt secure, and guaranteeing that we were fully informed every step of the way. Thank you, Jason!

Gianna R.

Jason Kauffman was the first person we reached out to when starting the home-buying process in 2023. He was responsive and helpful and plugged into the current interest-rate environment, bringing up the potential for and appeal of 2-for-1 buydowns on our initial call. Throughout the process, he was happy to jump on the phone and answer questions and we felt he had our best interest in mind. Recommend.

Thomas G.

Jason Kauffman was the first person we reached out to when starting the home-buying process in 2023. He was responsive and helpful and plugged into the...

Thomas G.

Jason was a big help to us as first time homebuyers this past summer. He is a clear, friendly communicator and made the extra effort to answer our questions...

Cindy T.

Barbara was super helpful as first time homebuyers for my wife and I. She made it simple and easy. Always managed to keep us updated on what was happening step by step. We will definitely be reaching back out for other property purchases or refinances. Hope to work with Barbara again in the future!

Jordan B.

Jason Kauffman at Uptown Mortgage came highly recommended by our realtor and now we understand why!

He was a huge help to us every step of the way: answering our questions before we were even ready to apply for a loan, keeping us up to date on what to expect, and ensuring we had everything in place for closing. On top of that Jason is exceptionally nice and easy to work with.

Thanks to Jason and his team we felt informed and involved without feeling remotely overwhelmed - a difficult balance to find when buying a home. We will definitely be referring friends and family in the future!

Ashley G.

Jason Kauffman at Uptown Mortgage came highly recommended by our realtor and now we understand why!

He was a huge help to us every step of the way:...

Ashley G.

As a realtor I know the importance of linking yourself to a good lender, and Jason is just that. He helped navigate the ship with raising interest rates in an uncertain market and his advice throughout the transaction was spot on. Would gladly recommend Jason for any of your mortgage needs!

Robert F.

Jason has been working with us for a year and a half until we finally found our perfect home! His communication was exceptional and kept us up to date with frequent checklists. He had our financial interest at heart and really took the time to care for us and get us the best outcome for our purchase in a crazy market time.

kandice B.

Jason K. was phenomenal during my whole financing process. From pre-approval to close, Jason was always readily available, on top of everything, and spent a considerable amount of time going through all the details and answering all my questions. Everything closed smoothly, and looking to refinance with him in the future!

Amanda L.

Lana and the team at Uptown Mortgage were amazing and such a pleasure to work with! Lana was very diligent and helped me get in to a loan that fit my budget. She knew that being this was my first home I was going to need to be educated along the way. Throughout the process Lana was readily available to answer any questions I had. If you are looking for a mortgage company that truly takes care of their clients you are looking in the right place. Thank you for the wonderful experience, Lana!

Zoey D.

Jason was incredibly helpful throughout our process - he was prompt and thorough with every request! Highly recommend if you are looking for a mortgage broker.

Eric B.

Jason was incredibly helpful throughout our process - he was prompt and thorough with every request! Highly recommend if you are looking for a mortgage broker.

Eric B.

Working with Jason Kauffman made the loan process a breeze. Jason took the time to break down complex information into a very understandable process...

Chad S.

Jason and Uptown Mortgage were terrific. They handled all of the details, and kept things on track to get completed in a timely way.

David A.

We have now worked with Jason and his team at Uptown Mortgage 4 separate times over the last 7 or so years, including a refinance. There is a reason we keep coming back. The team is professional, work quickly, answer any questions/hop on the phone, and help us get the best rate. We will continue to use Uptown Mortgage for any future real estate transactions.

Mercedes P.

We have now worked with Jason and his team at Uptown Mortgage 4 separate times over the last 7 or so years, including a refinance. There is a reason we...

Mercedes P.

Unfortunately I can only rate 5 starts I would give them 10/10 great service, profesional, reliable, Lana Jern our loan officer was key to getting us approved as well as all the members in her office team loved the communication you didn't need to explain your self over and over to get things done when you talked to a different person it felt good to have that personalized service available to us every time we called with a question for our new home loan everybody is on top of thing whether it is getting a document processed or keeping you up to date on the progress and dead lines. It is our second time using her services once in Sep 2014 as first time home buyers and just recently April 2023 with our second purchase we are very pleased and would highly recommend her office to any one needing assistance with a mortgage loan. Thank you Lana !!!

Miguel Erika R.

Unfortunately I can only rate 5 starts I would give them 10/10 great service , profesional , reliable, Lana Jern our loan officer was key to getting us...

Erika R.

I recently purchased a house with the help of Jason Kauffman and the Uptown Mortgage team.
I looked around for a broker in the beginning and found Jason to be easily the most helpful. He took the time to help me and answered all my questions before we even started the loan process.
Jason and the Uptown Mortgage team were efficient and continuously provided updates along the whole way. I would be happy to work with Jason again in the future.

Domi D.

We were over a year into trying to buy a house and getting no where when we met Lana Jern from Uptown Mortgage. She worked hard for months to get us a loan...

Jessica C.

Jason at Uptown Mortgage has worked for us in finding the best financial solutions purchasing three different times and refinancing twice. He’s always answered questions and made buy a home easy with reminders and efficient tools. I’d confidently recommend this family run business to anyone looking for professional, proficient and yet still gives you great personal service. Thanks Jason and Uptown!

Millie L.

Jason at Uptown Mortgage has worked for us in finding the best financial solutions purchasing three different times and refinancing twice. He's always...

Millie L.

Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Jason & his team at Uptown Mortgage.

The experience I had was exactly what I was looking for. The inital approval & doc review happened at incredible pace. The team stayed in touch, provided clear updates and laid out the process. Jason himself was patient & a guiding light.

Uptown has a wide variety of lenders of which they handpicked what fit my situation the most and presented me with.

I've financed 5 res properties throughout the years and Uptown mortgage has been the best mortgage broker I've dealt with, hands down.

If you're a HNWI, looking for a jumbo or the best mortgage broker (objectively) in Denver, I wouldn't look further.

Aydin P

The care and customer service provided by Lana and the entire Uptown team is like nothing I have experienced before when buying a home. You are part of the family and any questions/concerns are addressed immediately, making for a smooth, confident transaction. Highly recommend.

Mark J.

I was searching for a home to purchase and selected Uptown MTG because of their great reviews. I was lucky enough to have broker Jason Kauffman on my side.
Throughout the process (about 10 months) Jason went above and beyond to help me through the great fun of obtaining loan funding.
Jason would help me with pre-approvals and estimates, with an almost immediate response about 99.9 percent of the time. I highly recommend Jason and Uptown. A shout out to all @ Uptown... Thank you.

Jeff Martin

Jeff M.

I absolutely love using uptown mortgage! Barb, Nicole, Erika, and the whole team are amazing. Thank you for making our home purchase/sale process as easy as...

Christina D.

Shout out to Barb from Uptown Mortgage for helping us with our first home purchase. Barb went above and beyond to make our first experience a wonderful one....

Michael N.

My fiance and I couldn't be happier that we got the opportunity to work with Barb Van Horn on our very first home purchase! Barb is so kind and wonderful to...

Ha N.

This is our second time using Lana and Uptown Mortgage and have nothing but positive things to say about them! In this crazy market, they were willing to work at all hours to help us out in as many offers as we could to ensure we found a new home. They just go above and beyond when it comes to communication and speedy response times. If you are looking for knowledgeable experts to get you the best rate, Uptown Mortgage makes it simple and easy. I automatically recommended them to anyone who is even thinking about buying a home or looking to get pre-approved.

Vivienne D.

Jason Henkel and the Uptown Mortgage team went above and beyond expectations to help me close on my first primary residence! I started by trying to contact banks and lenders on my own, but after talking to Jason he was able to get me better rates and close faster than I would have been able to do on my own. Uptown Mortgage makes the whole process easy and transparent! Will be recommending them to family and friends!

Chris M.

As a first time home buyer, the process is daunting. Lana understands this, and is delightfully patient. Not only did she handle everything except the...

Melissa J.

Jason (and team) were such a wonderful find. We were so lucky to have found and worked with Uptown Mortgage for our first home purchase. They were incredibly responsive and explained everything patiently as we were learning the entire process. We really felt Jason listened to us and found the best options and rates for our situation which was so appreciated. We would highly recommend Uptown Mortgage to anyone!

Carolyn Gloss W.

Jason Henkel from Uptown Mortgage was recommended to my by a colleague of mine because he said his experience with Uptown Mortgage was amazing. Being that it was my first time buying a home we were very unsure about a lot of the things that were going to happen. Jason was there step by step through the process and made it very enjoyable. He responded in a timely manner to all of our questions throughout the process, and when we go to upgrade to a new home we will definitely be working with Jason again.

Eric M.

Our expert originators are here for you.

Reach out to one of our experienced loan originators to get your questions answered today

Call us at
(303) 839-5262
OR

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Our people

Lana Jern

Owner / Licensed Mortgage Broker in CO, FL, GA, and KS

NMLS # 268711

Jason Kauffman

Owner / Licensed Mortgage Broker in CO

NMLS # 199088

Jason Henkel

Licensed Mortgage Broker in CO

NMLS # 205844

Barbara Van Horn

Licensed Mortgage Broker TN, TX and CO

NMLS # 250051

Nicole Reed

Compliance Manager / Licensed Mortgage Broker in WA, CO and MN

NMLS # 1549405

Jason Smith

Licensed Mortgage Broker in CO

NMLS # 2273405

Dustin Moffat

Senior Loan Processor

Ashley Carlisle

Administrative Assistant

Jason Kauffman

Owner / Licensed Mortgage Broker in CO

NMLS # 199088

Email MeCall MePrequalify With MeConnect on LinkedIn

A Little About Me

Welcome to my corner of the mortgage industry! Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and now proudly calling Colorado home since 1995, I’m a seasoned Mortgage Loan Originator and co-owner of Uptown Mortgage alongside my mother, Lana Jern.

Education and Experience:

A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Computer Science, I have dedicated over two decades to the mortgage industry. I’ve had the privilege of assisting countless clients in achieving their homeownership dreams.

Passion for Clients and Advocacy:

My commitment to clients extends beyond day-to-day operations. As a professional deeply invested in the trajectory of mortgage industry regulation, I have actively participated in advocacy initiatives at both local and national levels. Serving as the President of the Colorado Association of Mortgage Professionals (CoAMP) in 2015 and 2016, and spending five years on the Board of Directors, has allowed me to contribute to shaping industry standards.

Balancing Professionalism with Personal Life:

Outside of the mortgage realm, I find joy in spending quality time with my wife, Amber, and our children. When not at home, you can usually find me fishing on one of Colorado’s many great trout streams while tossing around one of my homemade flies.

Expertise in Mortgage Solutions:

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned homeowner, I bring the skills and dedication needed to guide you through your mortgage journey. I take pride in my in-depth understanding of Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, and VA financing options. My experience allows me to create unique solutions for the spectrum of unique situations I encounter with my borrowers. In addition to the more common loan options, we have access to non-QM programs and reverse mortgage products that fill a niche for less common situations.

Commitment to Seamless Transactions:

My ultimate goal is to craft transactions that are not only successful but also smooth and stress-free. I want my clients to remember the experience positively and consider Uptown Mortgage for their future mortgage needs. The trust my clients place in me is something I value deeply, and I am dedicated to exceeding expectations in every transaction.

Thank you for considering Uptown Mortgage for your home financing needs. I look forward to the privilege of guiding you through a seamless mortgage journey.