Jun, 30
2022
Business, Free News Articles, Software

FormFree announces support for new Freddie Mac Loan Product Advisor enhancement aimed at expanding sustainable homeownership for renters

ATHENS, Ga. -- FormFree® announced that mortgage lenders using AccountChek® verification of asset (VOA) reports in conjunction with a Freddie Mac Loan Product Advisor® (LPA℠) solution will soon benefit from an enhancement that takes loan applicants' 12-month on-time rent payment history into consideration when assessing eligibility for qualified first-time homebuyers.

The enhancement, which is effective once announced in the Freddie Mac July Guide Bulletin, is designed to expand sustainable homeownership for the millions of Americans by taking their rent payment history into account when assessing eligibility. The expansion of rent payment history can increase the number of mortgage loan applicants who receive an Eligible/Accept recommendation in LPA.

"Freddie Mac is focused on offering value to our clients and improving the borrower experience as we continue to modernize the mortgage process," said Kevin Kauffman, Freddie Mac Single-Family Vice President of Client and Partner Delivery. "FormFree has been a strong partner on this journey by helping lenders assess credit eligibility for qualified first-time homebuyers."

LPA will automatically identify on-time rent payments - including those made via mobile apps like Venmo, Zelle and Paypal - within AccountChek VOA reports and take them into consideration when assessing eligibility for qualified first-time homebuyers. Only on-time rent payments will be considered; LPA will not assess late or missing rent payments.

"Freddie Mac's move to have Loan Product Advisor consider rent payment history in its assessment is part of a much larger push for more equitable home financing practices," said FormFree Chief Customer Officer Christy Moss. "People of color, who have disproportionately low homeownership rates and are overrepresented among credit invisible consumers will be most positively impacted by this enhancement to LPA."

"FormFree takes great pride in helping borrowers communicate their ability to pay and equipping lenders with the tools to confidently and efficiently verify borrower credentials," continued Moss. "We look forward to supporting Freddie Mac as it continues to deploy technology that improves access to sustainable credit for homebuyers."

Lenders can leverage rent payment history assessment through LPA asset and income modeler (AIM) when they order AccountChek reports of any length, including 30-, 60-, 90- and 180-day reports. In supplying LPA with 12 months of rent payment history, AccountChek has established safeguards that ensure the collection of extended rent payment history does not expose lenders to non-rent transactions, such as large gift deposits, that occurred more than 90 days in the past.

"FormFree remains committed to developing and supporting solutions that correct the racial homeownership gap," said FormFree Founder and CEO Brent Chandler. "Using FICO scores alone to evaluate creditworthiness excludes a large swath of minority homeowners who pay their rent on time and responsibly manage their finances without borrowing money from creditors. Direct source financial data is the key to understanding consumers' true ability and FormFree applauds Freddie Mac's efforts to help lenders finance homeownership more equitably."

For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/rent/.

About FormFree:

FormFree® is a market-leading fintech company whose revolutionary products AccountChek® and Passport® make for a more inclusive credit decisioning landscape by enabling lenders to understand people's true ability to pay (ATP®). Our vision is to leverage source data and data-driven intelligence to usher in a new era of transparent, fair and liquid credit markets. To date, thousands of U.S. lenders and brokers have ordered millions of FormFree's patented verification reports representing trillions of dollars in loan verifications. FormFree delights borrowers and lenders with a paperless experience, dramatically reduces origination timelines and offers automated analysis and standardized delivery to lenders and investors using a secure ReIssueKey®. For more information, visit https://www.formfree.com/ or follow FormFree on LinkedIn.

Related link: https://www.formfree.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 30
2022
Advertising and Marketing, Business, Free News Articles

iEmergent appoints Megan Horn as Chief Marketing Officer

DES MOINES, Iowa -- iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, today announced the appointment of Megan Horn as chief marketing officer (CMO). In this role, Horn will oversee marketing, public relations, brand management and customer experience for the growing company.

Prior to her appointment as CMO, Horn consulted with iEmergent through her own outfit, Megan Horn Digital. In this capacity, Horn was instrumental in developing iEmergent's website, brand messaging and digital strategy. Before her engagement with iEmergent, Horn was marketing director at Far Reach, iEmergent's technology development partner. Horn has also held positions at marketing and advertising agencies, where she acquired a diverse skill set including content strategy and development, social media management, graphic design and public relations.

"iEmergent is uniquely positioned to help mortgage lenders address a complex challenge - serving traditionally underserved, home-ready markets - by identifying current and future market opportunity with great accuracy down to the neighborhood level," Horn said. "My top priority is generating broader exposure for iEmergent and communicating the value proposition of Mortgage MarketSmart, an incredibly powerful tool for helping mortgage lenders identify gaps in sales coverage, expand into new markets and serve communities more equitably."

Horn holds a bachelor's degree in marketing and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Northern Iowa. She is an avid volunteer and community advocate, and in the past has donated both her time and marketing expertise to nonprofit organizations such as the Cedar Bend Humane Society and Cedar Valley United Way. Since 2018, Horn has been a board member of the CedarValley PrideFest.

About iEmergent:

Founded in 2000, iEmergent provides mortgage lending forecasts and analytics to the lending, housing and real estate industries. The company offers an extensive variety of forecast and market intelligence products, including Mortgage MarketSmart, a visualization tool that helps lenders quantify how mortgage markets will change. For more information, visit https://www.iemergent.com.

Related link: https://www.iemergent.com

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 29
2022
Business, Free News Articles, Software

Ruoff Mortgage Selects ACES Quality Management & Control to Improve Loan Quality Enterprise-wide Across Multiple Product Lines

DENVER, Colo. -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced that Ruoff Mortgage Company, Inc. (Ruoff Mortgage), a full-service residential mortgage lender, has selected its flagship audit platform ACES Quality Management & Control® Software to support the company's origination and servicing quality control (QC) audits.

"By prioritizing compliance and loan quality, lenders can gain deeper business insights while staying ahead of ever-changing regulatory requirements. Given Ruoff Mortgage's 70 retail locations throughout the Midwest, as well as its online reach to 45 states, there's a significant amount of compliance ground to cover," said ACES CEO Trevor Gauthier. "Our technology enables lenders to ensure compliance at all levels while also providing lenders with the flexibility to align our system with their unique needs and internal structure to improve internal reviews, communication and defect remediation, with the overall goal of reducing risk and enhancing loan quality."

Ruoff Mortgage selected ACES to help support its quality assurance, quality control and internal audit processes enterprise-wide to help track loan quality and effectively and quickly identify, communicate and remediate exceptions. Using ACES managed questionnaires, action planning capabilities and the ACES CONNECT communication portal, Ruoff Mortgage can seamlessly review 300 loans monthly while communicating report findings internally and reviewing its quality control and assurance procedures.

"ACES will tremendously improve our audit accuracy and produce clear, easy-to-read reports in minutes," said Diana Ringer, Chief Compliance Officer at Ruoff Mortgage. "It will help increase productivity, efficiency and quality, all while controlling overall costs."

About Ruoff:

Ruoff Mortgage is a full-service residential mortgage company with 70+ retail locations and originates in 45 states through their online consumer direct division. They have been recognized by several prominent industry publications such as the Scotsman Guide's list of Top Mortgage Lenders and Mortgage Executive Magazine's Top 100 Mortgage Companies in America and have been listed on the Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Companies for nine years in a row. Ruoff Mortgage has a 98.2% customer satisfaction rating, as compiled by CX leader, Customerville. For more information, visit www.ruoff.com.

About ACES Quality Management:

ACES Quality Management is the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry. The nation's most prominent lenders, servicers and financial institutions rely on ACES Quality Management & Control® Software to improve audit throughput and quality while controlling costs, including:

* 4 of the top 5 and more than 50% of the top 50 independent mortgage lenders;

* 7 of the top 10 loan servicers;

* 11 of the top 30 banks; and

* 1 of the top 3 credit unions in the USA.

Unlike other quality control platforms, only ACES delivers Flexible Audit Technology®, which gives independent mortgage lenders and financial institutions the ability to easily manage and customize ACES to meet their business needs without having to rely on IT or other outside resources. Using a customer-centric approach, ACES clients get responsive support and access to our experts to maximize their investment. For more information, visit www.acesquality.com or call 1-800-858-1598.

Related link: https://www.acesquality.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 28
2022
Business, Free News Articles

Klingenstein Fields Advisors Opens New Office and Adds Senior Business Development and Advisory Resource

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Klingenstein Fields Advisors (KF Advisors) is excited to announce the opening of an office in West Palm Beach to serve the south Florida market. The establishment of a physical presence in south Florida demonstrates the firm's long-standing commitment to the market and provides a home base from which to operate.

"We recognize that many of our clients spend a portion of their time in Florida, and we wanted to provide a local presence they could easily access. In addition, Florida is a dynamic market with strong growth prospects for us. This gives us 'feet on the ground' to help accelerate our growth," said Kenneth D. Pollinger, Chairman & Co-CEO of KF Advisors.

Heading up the West Palm Beach Office will be a new addition to the KF Advisors team, John A. Pavela, CFA, Managing Director. John brings strong experience in wealth and investment management and will be responsible for new business development and managing client relationships, providing guidance on a range of wealth, planning, and investment management issues. John was most recently with BMO Wealth Management as Regional Director of Investments. Prior to that, he held leadership roles in Investment Management, Wealth Management, and Trust Administration at First Union National Bank (later known as Wachovia National Bank). John began his career at LaSalle National Bank & Trust in Chicago.

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Society of South Florida. John earned a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University and received an M.B.A. in Finance from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University.

"John really knows the Florida market and has a deep knowledge of the complex issues faced by wealthy individuals and families. We found that his approach and client-first mindset really align well with that of KF Advisors. We are fortunate to have him heading up our Florida effort," said James Fields, President and Co-CEO of KF Advisors.

About Klingenstein Fields Advisors:

Klingenstein Fields Advisors represents two privately held independent Registered Investment Advisors managing approximately $4.0 billion in assets. The firm offers a full array of wealth, planning, and investment management to a broad array of individuals, families, and institutions.

Learn more: https://www.klingenstein.com/

Related link: http://www.klingenstein.com

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 28
2022
Business, Free News Articles, Software

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach Merge, Appoint Richard Harris as CEO

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Sales Boomerang, the mortgage industry's top-rated automated borrower intelligence and retention system, and Mortgage Coach, a platform empowering mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive home loan presentations, today announced their merger and the appointment of SaaS executive Richard Harris as CEO.

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach have been working toward the merger since LLR Partners' investment in the firms, which was announced in January.

Founded in 2009, Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that gives borrowers the confidence to make a home loan decision by providing educational presentations that model loan performance over time. Established in 2017, Sales Boomerang launched the first automated borrower intelligence system for mortgage lenders. Together, Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach will position lenders to reach borrowers with the right information at the right time, empowering borrowers to build wealth through homeownership by helping them select the best mortgage strategy for their unique housing needs.

"Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are both impressive, mission-driven organizations that have earned tremendous brand equity in the mortgage realm through their expert grasp of the industry and proven ability to deliver substantive value to mortgage lenders and borrowers," said Harris. "I look forward to bringing the organizations together and leveraging my background in data, analytics and insights to help mortgage lenders better understand their borrowers and provide personalized service that helps them attain their homeownership and financial goals."

Prior to taking the helm of Mortgage Coach and Sales Boomerang, Harris was CEO at SparkPost, an email sending and optimization platform delivering 40% of the world's commercial email. He led that company through tremendous growth and oversaw its $600 million acquisition by omnichannel communication platform MessageBird. Before his tenure at SparkPost, Harris was group vice president at cloud technology company Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), where he led international operations of its Data Cloud business unit. He was previously CEO at consumer insights and digital ad personalization company AddThis, where he rapidly scaled the company and facilitated its acquisition by Oracle. Harris holds J.D. and MBA degrees from the University of Maryland.

Alex Kutsishin and Dave Savage, founders of Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach, will continue to actively nurture the company and its relationships in leadership roles.

"By bringing together the very best in database monitoring, market intelligence, automation, personalization and education, Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach deliver the short- and long-term financial results lenders crave," said Kutsishin. "We are united in our mission to provide borrowers with the right loan at the right time, and I am confident we will reach new heights under Richard's leadership."

"Combining the advice-based digital presentations of Mortgage Coach with the big data borrower intelligence of Sales Boomerang enables us to create unprecedented opportunities for consumers to achieve financial freedom faster and to help lenders and loan officers to close more loans in this rising interest rate marketplace," said Savage. "Together we have the expertise, the synergy and the platform to put game-changing tools in the hands of our lenders and loan officers."

About Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach:

Sales Boomerang and Mortgage Coach are trusted by more than 300 lenders, including brokers, independent mortgage companies, credit unions and banks to connect borrowers with the right loan at the right time.

Sales Boomerang transformed the relationship between mortgage lenders and borrowers with the introduction of the first automated borrower intelligence system in 2017. The company's intelligent alerts notify lenders as soon as a past customer or prospect is ready and credit-qualified for a loan. As the mortgage industry's #1 borrower retention tool, Sales Boomerang helps lenders build lasting borrower relationships that maximize lifetime customer value. To learn more, visit https://www.salesboomerang.com.

Mortgage Coach is an award-winning platform that empowers mortgage lenders to educate borrowers with interactive presentations that model home loan performance over time. The company's side-by-side loan comparisons allow borrowers to make faster, more informed mortgage decisions while enabling lenders to consistently deliver an on-brand, consultative home financing experience that increases borrower pull-through, repeat business and referrals. To learn more, visit https://www.mortgagecoach.com.

Related link: https://www.salesboomerang.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 28
2022
Business, Free News Articles, Regional Events, Taxes and Accounting

Business and Economic Empowerment Leader Dr. Velma Trayham Announced as Keynote Speaker for Takeaway Tax Business Conference in Houston, TX

HOUSTON, Texas -- Highlighting the power of entrepreneurship to change the world and end poverty, award-winning B2B/diversity consultant and leader Dr. Velma Trayham (CEO of Thinkzilla Consulting Group) has been announced as the keynote speaker for TakeAway Tax's upcoming Tax Business Conference in Houston on Aug. 4.

Dr. Trayham is the CEO of Thinkzilla Consulting, a Black- and woman-owned Marketing Strategy and Diversity Consulting agency that opened its fourth office in Scottsdale last year, and founder of the Millionaire Mastermind Academy, a nationwide nonprofit that provides entrepreneurial training and mentorship programming to help minority women rise above poverty through empowered entrepreneurship and spiritual development. Dr. Trayham was recently honored by President Joe Biden, with a Lifetime Achievement Award for mentoring more than 8000 black business owners.

With concierge tax services for businesses, TakeAway Tax is a rapidly growing franchise that trains others interested in owning their own franchise in addition to providing tax preparation for organizations of all sizes.

"TakeAway Tax really understands the combined power of entrepreneurship, communication and business development and it will be an honor to share insights on small business growth with their attendees," said Dr. Trayham. "When we come together to pool our wisdom, experience and vision, our businesses all benefit from this collective knowledge and awareness."

The Tax Business Conference, to be held at The Ballroom at Bayou Place in Houston's Theater District, will convene tax professionals and firms to share ideas and insights to bolster business and inspire entrepreneurship throughout the industry.

Trayham's previous national speaking and marketing campaigns include VistaCreate, Cheddar News and Country Financial, among others. Her previous speaking engagements include the American Heart Association, Georgia Power, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Greater Phoenix Urban League, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Texas Black Expo and many more.

About Dr. Velma Trayham:

Dr. Velma Trayham is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker and economic empowerment specialist who believes in the power of inclusive, equitable businesses to create community and spark change. The CEO of Thinkzilla Consulting Group, which brings greater awareness to initiatives that support underserved communities, Dr. Trayham also founded the Millionaire Mastermind Academy, which has mentored more than 8,000 minority women business owners in its first three years. For more information, please visit https://thinkzillaconsulting.com/

RELATED LINKS:

https://velmatrayham.com/booking/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tax-business-conference-2022-tickets-358561596387

Related link: https://thinkzillaconsulting.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 27
2022
Awards and Honors, Business, Free News Articles

Southwestern Investment Group Named a Top Workplace in Middle Tennessee for Third Consecutive Year

FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Southwestern Investment Group, an independent wealth management company, today announced it was once again named to The Tennessean's 2022 list of Top Workplaces in Middle Tennessee. The firm was also honored as a Top Workplace in the Tennessean's 2020 and 2021 lists.

"The past two and a half years have reinforced how important it is for employees to feel connected and proud of the companies they work for," said Jeff Dobyns, President of Southwestern Investment Group. "Our employees bring their best, most authentic selves to work every day, which translates to our client relationships. We invest a great deal of effort in maintaining a strong and inclusive culture and we couldn't be more pleased to be recognized again as a top workplace."

The Tennessean partners with Energage LLC., a third-party employee engagement technology partner, to conduct the anonymous employee survey. Winners were announced on June 23, 2022.

Southwestern Investment Group is a family of advisors that takes an integrated approach to wealth management and believes in a purpose bigger than itself. The company's core values serve as further proof that success can be achieved by cultivating a culture of appreciation.

Southwestern Investment Group's business model allows it to provide friendly service from people you know, while offering the comprehensive solutions and services of a larger financial provider. For more information about Southwestern Investment Group, visit https://www.swinvestmentgroup.com/ or call 615-861-6100.

About Southwestern Investment Group:

As of 3/31/2022. Southwestern Investment Group was established in 2002 as an independent practice and manages more than $5.8 billion in client assets. The advisors at Southwestern Investment Group are registered representatives with Raymond James Financial Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, which allows them to have the support of a large company while offering the personalized services of a small organization. Southwestern Investment Group uses sensible, sound, and conservative investment strategies and holistic services to enhance and help preserve your wealth. For more information, visit https://www.swinvestmentgroup.com/.

About Raymond James Financial Services:

As of 3/31/2022. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, has provided a wide range of investment and wealth planning related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both broker/dealers are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF) a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 8,500 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are $1.26 trillion. Additional information is available at https://www.raymondjames.com/.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA / SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Southwestern Investment Advisory Services, Inc., an independent registered investment adviser. Southwestern Investment Group is not a registered broker-dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Representatives may not be registered to offer securities and advisory services in all states.

More than 1,000 companies were invited to participate, 106 were recognized as one of the Tennessean Top Places to work. The Tennessean welcomed anyone to nominate an organization and partnered with Energage, who also reached out to companies. Any employer was eligible, as long as it had at least 35 employees in Middle Tennessee. Employees could be public, private, nonprofit or governmental. Once employers were nominated, employees were asked to fill out an online questionnaire that gave more information about the companies they worked for. Information gathered included issues relating to workplace culture, including Alignment, Connection, Effectiveness, Engagement, Leadership, and the Basics, including pay, benefits, flexibility, training, and expectations. Employers were then ranked among groups of similar size to most accurately compare results, with those that scored high being recognized. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of an advisor's future performance. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Neither Energage nor the Tennessean is affiliated with Raymond James.

Related link: https://www.swinvestmentgroup.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 27
2022
Business, Free News Articles, Product Launches, Software

Lender Price Launches Marketplace 2.0, Providing Wholesale Brokers and Lenders with Enhanced Pricing Capabilities and Deal Intelligence

PASADENA, Calif. -- Lender Price, a leading provider of product, pricing and eligibility technology, announced today they have released Marketplace 2.0, a major enhancement to their Broker Marketplace platform, one of the largest communities of wholesale brokers in the mortgage industry.

Created to match lenders with mortgage brokers looking to find the best rates and loan products for borrowers in a volatile market, Marketplace 2.0 gives brokers the ability to pull in pricing from their existing lender relationships automatically and run pricing comparisons of participating Broker Marketplace lenders. Eliminating a lengthy signup process and a monthly fee, Marketplace now helps brokers instantly see all of their lenders and marketplace lenders inside a single location without logging into several different TPO portals.

"Marketplace 2.0 is a game changer for brokers and lenders. It helps wholesale lenders expand their audience and gain access to thousands of mortgage brokers quickly," said Dawar Alimi, CEO of Lender Price.

"For brokers, we designed the platform to help them find the most competitive loan programs in this market and help them move away from using legacy technology that typically comes with a monthly fee. Our solution is 100% free to the wholesale broker community and it's one less cost that a broker has to worry about right now."

With Marketplace 2.0, mortgage brokers can now:

* Pull in pricing from their existing wholesale lender relationships without waiting

* Quickly add comp and rate sheets and receive accurate pricing without a monthly fee moving forward

* Invite borrowers to see tailored products and scenarios from inside the system

* Create custom rate alerts and be alerted when new opportunities arise

* Find and isolate specific non-QM, non-agency and home equity products

* Get more control and freedom and run pricing from anywhere

* Find loans that compete with all-cash offers and share with realtors

* Discover products they were previously unaware of and might not know are available

Advantages for wholesale lenders participating in Marketplace 2.0 include:

* Ability to offer product and pricing to additional brokers outside of current network

* Easy access for brokers to find their specific programs and conduct business with them

* Detailed analytics on broker pricing behavior

* Quick notifications on when brokers choose their products

* Ability to showcase non-QM, non-agency and home equity products

Onboarding is now automated, extremely simple, and brokers are up and running in minutes. Brokers only need to upload their rate sheets once and the system automatically updates product and pricing moving forward. Users will be able to see accurate pricing without manual updates.

With rates on the rise, Marketplace 2.0 can help brokers keep costs under control, stay competitive in a challenging market and get wider access to additional products that they might not know exist. The solution also gives brokers access to non-QM, non-agency and home equity programs at no additional cost. Lenders can also gain access to thousands of wholesale brokers quickly and easily, helping them maintain volume during a challenging market.

Learn more about Marketplace 2.0 and the Lender Price platform at https://lenderprice.com/

About Lender Price:

Lender Price is a California-based developer of mortgage technology, including an advanced product, pricing, & eligibility (PPE) engine, digital lending point-of-sale (POS), and non-agency automated underwriting engine. Lender Price provides all types of mortgage lending institutions - wholesale and correspondent lenders, banks, credit unions, and mortgage brokers - with advanced technology designed to eliminate friction, increase transparency, and effectively engage with borrowers. More information about Lender Price can be found at https://lenderprice.com and https://digitallending.com.

Related link: https://lenderprice.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 27
2022
Advertising and Marketing, Business, Free News Articles, Product Launches

Mid America Mortgage rebrands to Click n’ Close

ADDISON, Texas -- Mid America Mortgage, Inc. (Mid America) today announced it has rebranded as Click n' Close following the sale of the majority of its retail lending operations to Houston-based Legend Lending. Click n' Close will retain retail operations related to its reverse mortgage and Native American lending business and focus on delivering innovative down payment assistance (DPA) and adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) products through its third-party originator (TPO) channels.

"Mid America's passion and focus have always been on driving growth in our third-party origination channels, uncovering untapped market opportunities that deliver value to industry partners and fostering innovation via technology and automation," Click n' Close CEO Jeff Bode said. "As the company moves into its next iteration, we wanted to do so under a banner that would accurately reflect the values and focus of our new direction."

In addition to its lending operations, Click n' Close also plans to enter the mortgage technology space to help lenders realize the benefits of eMortgages. While Click n' Close will introduce several new products, some of its initial offerings were developed as proprietary, in-house technology under the Mid America Mortgage brand to power the company's digital mortgage strategy. These products will now be made available to the entire industry to support lenders' efforts to achieve an end-to-end digital mortgage process.

"The investments we've made in technology and digital process have paid tremendous dividends, enabling us to save upwards of $300 per loan file. We've then been able to channel those savings into additional technology enhancements and the delivery of specialized product offerings to address today's housing market challenges," Bode said. "Our focus now as Click n' Close will be to concentrate these efforts to better serve the mortgage community from both a loan product and a technology perspective."

About Click n' Close, Inc.:

Click n' Close, Inc., formerly known as Mid America Mortgage, is a multi-state mortgage lender serving consumers and mortgage originators through its wholesale and correspondent channels and is also the nation's leading provider of Section 184 home loans for Native Americans. In operation since 1940, Click n' Close has thrived by retaining its entrepreneurial spirit and leading the market in innovation, including its adoption of eClosings and eNotes.

Combining this culture of innovation with a risk management mindset enables Click n' Close to deliver new products to market that address the challenges facing both borrowers and third-party originators (TPOs). These innovations include its USDA one-time close construction loans, Power Buyer bridge loan program, proprietary down payment assistance (DPA) program and reverse mortgage division. Its direct relationships with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae and private investors afford Click n' Close direct access to the capital markets, thus ensuring maximum liquidity for its product innovations. By servicing its loan programs in-house, Click n' Close provides its wholesale and correspondent partners with an additional level of certainty regarding loan salability and superior borrower service over the life of the loan.

Learn more at https://www.clicknclose.com/.

Related link: https://www.clicknclose.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Jun, 23
2022
Business, Free News Articles, Insurance

EPIC Announces Strategic Hires in Northeast, Poises Firm for Regional Growth in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today it has hired a team of producers to support regional expansion in Pennsylvania.

Joining the firm as principals are Pamela Barbush, Brian Floyd, David Schlosberg, and John Shingara. The team will be responsible for business development in employee benefits, as well as property and casualty lines at EPIC.

With over 12 years of experience, Schlosberg focuses on business development, most recently as vice president at an independent brokerage firm. He completed his MBA in 2020 and holds the insurance designations of CPCU and CIC. Barbush specializes in group casualty and single parent captives. She has over 40 years of experience, dedicating the past 22 years exclusively to captive insurance with mid to large commercial clients with a focus on the construction industry.

Floyd and Shingara both bring a background in employee benefits consulting. Floyd concentrates on mid and large group markets and is a healthcare consortium and self-funded expert. He holds the designation of Advanced Charter Benefits. Shingara is a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist. His experience includes captives, self-insurance, and other risk financing techniques.

Len Scioscia, EPIC Northeast Region President, commented, "We are pleased to welcome Pamela, Brian, David, and John to EPIC in their new roles. The team, to be based near Harrisburg in central Pennsylvania, will contribute to our buildout in Pennsylvania. We currently have a Pittsburgh office and are excited to expand further across the state."

About EPIC Brokers & Consultants:

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has more than 2,800 team members operating from more than eighty offices across the U.S., providing Property and Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs, and Private Client solutions to EPIC clients. For more information on EPIC, visit: https://www.epicbrokers.com/.

Related link: https://www.epicbrokers.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

1 2 3 … 205