What's the breakdown between direct-to-seller, through a broker, or other source?

Even though they are a registered broker, as shared above, they clearly operate as a wholesaler.

Even in states where a license is required to broker commercial loans (California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona, etc.), you can legally pay a referral fee on a commercial mortgage loan, as long as the referring source does nothing more than call you with a name and phone number of a prospective borrower.However, if the referral source — say, a commercial real estate broker — starts to negotiate terms (rate, points, term, etc.), then he is working as a commercial mortgage broker.

Research or get referrals for RE brokers or wholesalers you specialize in off market deals and develop a relationship with them. 

On the broker side, I like having a little bit more control over the process like being able to talk to the UW, ordering appraisals through my AMC, and handling all third party communications. 

@Rusty ScottCommissions are paid to the broker's office, not directly to the agent.

Used a local broker and got a rate of 4.875%.

Local lenders, agency brokers, credit unions, etc.  

You have every right to ask if the policy has dog bite / dog breed exclusions and need to spend time (unfortunately) reading the policy exclusions.I will say that a certain insurance company that may or may not have a lizard as the mascot brokers out their renters and home policies with other companies and some of those companies have a dog breed exclusion and some of the companies they broker it to do not have a dog breed exclusion.

She worked for a residential broker for a year but in transactions not as an agent.