About Upperhand
Our Story
Built on underwriting experience, not sales scripts
We know how lenders evaluate a deal before it reaches their desk. We structure and present each request the way an underwriter wants to see it, match it to the right capital source, and anticipate issues before they slow your closing.
You work directly with the principals from the first conversation through closing. No handoffs, no call centers.
THE UPPERHAND APPROACH
Investor Lending Specialists
Family-Owned and Operated
We build long-term relationships on trust and transparency, not one-off transactions. The goals you bring us today are the ones we're still working toward next year.
DSCR / Commercial Experts
Fix & flip, ground-up, and DSCR rental financing are what we do all day, every day so guidance stays specific to your deal, not generic.
Extensive Network
We've built connections across the lending and real estate industries, so your file goes to lenders who actually compete for it.
Personalized Guidance
We're with you at every draw request and every inspection, simplifying the parts of the process that usually slow investors down.
Our Team
The people behind the deal
Co-Founder
Kirsten McCown
Kirsten holds a marketing degree from the College of Charleston and began her career as a real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers in Atlanta before moving into merchandising and finance at a Fortune 50 company. She now leads Upperhand's residential rental investment department and manages loan processing, keeping files organized, complete, and moving from application to closing.
Co-Founder
Blake McCown
Blake is a US Air Force Academy graduate with a degree in Management who served before moving into the corporate sector in 2022. An active real estate investor himself, he oversees operations at Upperhand and underwrites deals with an investor's eye for what actually pencils out.
Co-Founder
Julie McCown
Julie brings 30 years of mortgage experience, starting as a Loan Officer before spending 8 years as a Branch Manager and 14 years as a Senior Mortgage Underwriter. She is DE HUD and VA SAR certified, with deep experience across conventional, government, DSCR, and commercial lending. At Upperhand, she helps borrowers navigate complex transactions with an underwriter's view of what gets approved.
