Rackspace Co-Founder Dirk Elmendorf Joins PorchPass
SAN ANTONIO, May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — PorchPass™, a division of Braustin Homes, has hired software developer Dirk Elmendorf, co-founder of Rackspace Technology, along with Brett Elmendorf, Natalie Karney, and Emily Rodriguez to help grow its financial technology platform.
Braustin Homes, the nation’s first virtual mobile home dealership, launched PorchPass in January 2023 bringing financial technology (fintech) speed to the process of securing land for a manufactured home. This new platform, accessible online, streamlines the manufactured home construction process, giving buyers the power and speed of a cash close.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with this experienced team that brings backgrounds across product, front-end and back-end development,” said Cole Wollak, Chief Technology Officer at Braustin Homes. “Adding Dirk, Brett, Natalie and Emily allows us to accelerate the timelines to deliver an industry-leading experience for our partners and increase the pace of how many homeowners we get to help.”
“We are excited to build technology in the service of such a powerful mission — unlocking home ownership for people who didn’t think they could own a home,” said Dirk Elmendorf, principal software developer at PorchPass.
“Cole has done a tremendous job leveling up the talent of the company’s engineering department since coming on as our CTO. Improving access to homeownership is no easy task, so we’re excited to be working alongside some of the sharpest dev talent to come out of San Antonio,” said Braustin Homes CEO Alberto Piña.
Dirk Elmendorf co-founded Rackspace in 1998 and most recently co-founded Jobward with Brett Elmendorf, who joins the PorchPass team as the company’s strategic experience designer, and product manager Natalie Karney. Emily Rodriguez, senior software developer, also previously worked at Jobward.
PorchPass addresses a common problem for mobile home buyers. Nearly one-third of all mobile home customers, who have already been approved for a home mortgage, also need a land home construction loan. These often-complicated loans, with high rates and fees, can take up to 140 days to clear, which puts potential homeowners at risk of losing their dream property to a cash buyer. PorchPass has secured the financial backing to streamline the process, giving prospective homeowners the same leverage as cash, with the ability to pay the land seller in 14 (vs. 140) days, and save up to $15,000 or more in construction loan bank fees.
Braustin Homes launched a beta test of PorchPass internally late last year before rolling it out to other business partners in January 2023. The pilot has been oversubscribed, and PorchPass is now building a waitlist for this and future financial products.
ABOUT PORCHPASS™: PorchPass™ is the first fintech platform, offered by Braustin Homes, the nation’s first virtual mobile home dealership, which integrates across the entire industry. PorchPass empowers land buyers, land sellers and dealerships in the manufactured housing space with a cash-backed solution to streamline the new home construction process, giving buyers the power and speed of a cash close in today’s hyper-competitive market. This online process allows buyers to close on the property and start construction up to three months faster and save thousands on bank fees. PorchPass works with the land seller, home builder and mortgage broker to ensure each phase of funding progresses smoothly, so home buyers can move in faster and avoid costly short-term rentals. For more information, visit www.porchpass.com.
Media Contact:
Mary Ullmann Japhet
359552@email4pr.com
210-414-9030
SOURCE PorchPass
