About Kim Estep
A 25-year career at the intersection of HUD-insured lending, GNMA capital markets, and risk management.
I've spent more than two decades advising lenders, developers, investors, and capital markets desks on how to navigate HUD-insured mortgage programs, GNMA execution, and the interest-rate volatility that shapes our industry.
I've closed, sized, priced, or supported hundreds of FHA 223(f), 221(d)(4), and 223(a)(7) loans through every kind of market:
ZIRP
taper tantrums
rate spikes
liquidity freezes
GNMA spread crises
and everything in between
I built Branig Capital Markets as an advisory platform to help lenders and borrowers understand risk, think more strategically, and make better decisions — not just react to markets. KimmyMae and Mudzie grew directly out of that work.
Why I Built KimmyMae
Because HUD lenders deserve better tools.
After years inside underwriting rooms, production teams, and rate lock desks, I saw the same problems happen again and again:
Avoidable HUD screen-outs
Deficiency memos caused by missing or outdated exhibits
Confusion over MAP requirements
Inconsistent narrative quality across teams
Slow, painful responses to OGC and Production
Deal sizing swinging with the market while HUD is reviewing the file
Underwriters buried in formatting instead of analysis
None of this had to happen.
And yet the industry had no tools designed for our exact workflows — no AI trained on the MAP Guide, no platform to track GNMA and rate volatility specifically for HUD deal sizing, and no secure way for underwriters to generate MAP-cited responses in minutes.
So I built KimmyMae AI and Mudzie to fix the problem instead of accepting the status quo.
What I Believe
HUD isn't slow — HUD is careful. Your submissions should be too.
KimmyMae exists to bring more clarity, more rigor, and more predictability to the most regulated part of multifamily finance. My philosophy is simple:
Compliance first.
The AI is trained on the MAP Guide, not on shortcuts.
Confidentiality is non-negotiable.
Every lender gets a private AI tenant with encrypted vector storage and zero cross-pollination.
Tools should save time, not create work.
Underwriters deserve more time for actual underwriting.
AI should be explainable.
If you can't take the output to your credit committee or HUD reviewer, it's not good enough.
Real expertise matters.
This product suite is built on decades of doing the work — not on theoretical models.
Where I Work Today
Branig Capital Markets
A capital markets advisory firm specializing in HUD-insured multifamily lending, GNMA execution, and interest rate strategy.
KimmyMae AI
A private, lender-specific AI trained on the MAP Guide and HUD underwriting logic.
Mudzie
A real-time rate and GNMA analytics engine for HUD lending and capital markets teams.
Together, these tools help lenders:
What It's Like to Work With Me
Clients tell me I bring:
clear explanations of complex policy
fast, clean analytics
deep MAP understanding
direct, honest guidance
zero fluff
creativity in structuring around constraints
calm during market volatility
respect for HUD's risk framework
a lender-first perspective
If something isn't realistic, I'll tell you.
If something is fixable, I'll help you fix it.
And if HUD is going to care about it, I'll tell you before they do.
A Few Things I'm Known For
Translating Fed decisions into HUD and GNMA impacts in plain English
Navigating construction, rehab, and refinance executions
Making DSCR math feel simple
Understanding how GNMA spreads shape proceeds
Crafting narratives HUD actually wants to read
Helping lenders avoid "gotchas" that slow commitments
Building tools that make underwriting more consistent and compliant
Personal Note
I'm also a race car driver, author, and founder of Kim Estep Races, where I bring many of the same principles from finance into motorsports: precision, risk assessment, speed of execution, and an obsession with performance.
Above all, I'm passionate about giving people the confidence to pursue big goals, whether that's winning a race or getting a HUD deal across the finish line.
Want to see what your next HUD deal looks like inside KimmyMae AI?
Share your Section 1 index or concept outline, and I'll walk you through a private, lender-specific demo.
Request a Demo