A graphic depicts a hand holding a "digital" house icon surrounded by other financial icons (dollar sign, bank, piggy bank) for data-driven-strategies-to-help-mortgage-lenders blog.

3 Data-Driven Strategies to Help Mortgage Lenders Win Early in the Year

January 20, 2026

January can be a sluggish start for mortgage marketing—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right data-driven strategies to help mortgage lenders and a smart outreach plan, you can spark meaningful momentum long before the spring rush. 

As consumers reset their financial goals and explore refinance or home improvement options, savvy lenders can meet them at exactly the right time. Below are three powerful, data-driven strategies to help mortgage lenders capitalize early in the year.

1. Reignite Dormant Leads from Past Campaign

Now is the time to re-engage leads that went cold in the latter part of 2025. Using Camber Marketing Group’s portfolio monitoring tools, lenders can receive alerts when former clients begin mortgage inquiries elsewhere, signaling that they’re back in the market. 

Rather than letting a competitor take the lead, our real-time alerts and automated retention letters help you reconnect quickly, reminding past clients why they chose you in the first place. 

Pro tip: Camber’s data shows that retargeting past clients using direct mail can yield up to eight times the response rate of digital-only campaigns.

2. Launch a Hyper-Targeted Direct Mail Campaign

While digital noise overwhelms inboxes and screens in January, physical mailboxes are often far less crowded. This makes direct mail an especially effective outreach channel early in the year. 

With our credit data-backed targeting, lenders can pinpoint high-potential borrowers based on credit activity, homeownership status, and other relevant data. Each piece is personalized, professionally designed, and backed by tested messaging strategies for stronger conversion. 

The early months of the year are also ideal for showcasing financial opportunities—like debt consolidation loans, cash-out refinancing, or first-time homebuyer programs—that align with new-year financial planning.

3. Use Predictive Analytics to Drive Smarter Outreach

Don’t wait for leads to appear—anticipate them. 

Camber’s data strategy and analytics solutions help mortgage lenders proactively identify high-intent segments. By analyzing historical trends and borrower behavior, we can help shape campaigns that focus on the most responsive demographics. 

Whether you’re targeting first-time buyers, refinancers, or reverse mortgage clients, predictive insights ensure your early-year marketing budget works harder and reaches those most likely to convert. 

Start the Year Strong with Camber Marketing Group 

If you want to win early in 2026, your planning—and action—need to start now.  

From smart segmentation to proven direct mail campaigns, Camber Marketing Group delivers everything you need to reach the right audience with the right message at the right time. 

Contact our team today to activate a data-powered direct mail strategy that performs from day one. 

predictive-analytics-for-mortgage-lenders

Prepare for 2026 with Predictive Analytics for Mortgage Lenders

December 9, 2025

As mortgage markets shift toward 2026, lenders are facing a mix of opportunity and challenge: moderating rate expectations, evolving borrower profiles, rising costs, and competitive pressure to deliver faster, more personalized experiences.  

For lenders who lean on predictive analytics, the coming year offers a chance not just to survive, but to lead. 

What Predictive Analytics Means for Mortgage Lending 

Predictive analytics involves using historical data, behavior signals, demographic information, and sometimes alternative data sources to forecast what prospective and existing borrowers will do—when they might refinance, when they might be shopping for a home, when they might respond to an offer, or when they might be at risk of using a competitor. It’s the difference between reacting and anticipating. 

Some recent forecasts underscore why this matters: 

  • Fannie Mae revised its 2025–2026 outlook, expecting mortgage rates to drift toward ~6.3% at end‑2025 and ~5.9 % in 2026.  
  • Origination volume is predicted to modestly recover, with refinance activity showing stronger improvement, as mortgage rates gradually move in more favorable directions.  

Lenders who can anticipate changes, rather than chase them, will have an edge in allocating resources, targeting borrowers, and avoiding wasted spend. 

How Predictive Analytics for Mortgage Lenders Can Boost Your Results in 2026 

Here are several ways predictive analytics can become a potent tool for mortgage lenders preparing for 2026: 

  • Improved Lead Quality and Timing: By analyzing signals such as credit inquiries, online browsing, prior loan data, income changes, or market conditions, lenders can gain insights into which prospects are likely to need mortgage products sooner rather than later. This allows outreach like direct mail at moments of high buyer or refinance intent. 
  • Better Customer Retention: Predictive models can flag clients who might be shopping elsewhere or about to refinance with another lender. Having alerts in place gives you the opportunity to reach them with a retention offer before they switch. This reduces attrition and protects your pipeline. 
  • Optimized Marketing Spend: Instead of broad campaigns that target many low-probability prospects, predictive analytics helps you allocate budget to segments with higher likelihood of conversion. Test different offers, messages, and timing to see which resonate, then scale what is working. 
  • Personalized Messaging and Segmentation: Data insights feed segmentation by demographic, geography, credit behavior, loan type, past interactions, and more. With richer segmentation, mailers and communications can be far more relevant. 
  • Anticipating Market Shifts: Leading indicators like housing inventory levels, rate forecasts, customer inquiries, and economic indicators can feed your predictive models so you can shift strategy ahead of competitors. If data suggests purchase demand will rise in certain geographies or price tiers, you could pre-emptively deploy direct mail campaigns in those areas. 

How Camber Marketing Group Helps You Leverage Predictive Analytics 

Camber already offers several services poised to help lenders prepare smartly for 2026: 

  • Data Strategy & Analytics: Camber uses robust analytics to process market data, credit signals, demographic changes, and more. Their approach helps with developing predictive models that tell who’s likely to act and when.  
  • Portfolio Monitoring & inMarket Monitoring: These distinct tools allow you to stay ahead, continuously identifying when past clients or existing borrowers are showing signs of shopping around, or when new demand is emerging. Early alerts enable faster engagement with retention offers or lead capture. 
  • Segmentation for Direct Mail Campaigns: Camber excels at slicing audiences for targeted direct mail (past customers, credit‑worthy prospects, specific demographics) so that your direct mail spend produces stronger returns. With predictive models, segmentation becomes sharper, which directly boosts direct mail ROI.  
  • Marketing Partnership & Consulting: Our team helps you build predictive analytics into your entire marketing plan, not just one campaign. From strategy to execution, message tailoring, and compliance, their support ensures that your predictive insights are effective and aligned with your business goals.  

Predictive analytics for mortgage lenders isn’t just a buzzword. It will likely become a defining strength for mortgage lenders in 2026. Those who lean into data, sharpen their targeting, and embed predictive insights into their marketing and customer‑engagement processes will gain higher ROI, better retention, and stronger competitive positioning. 

using-inMarket-Monitoring

How to Reach the Right Buyers at the Right Time Using inMarket Monitoring

October 21, 2025

Timing is everything. Knowing who is in the market is powerful. Knowing when they’re in the market is a game-changer. 

That’s where Camber’s inMarket Monitoring tool shines. 

This proprietary tool gives mortgage lenders the ability to engage with new prospects the moment they’re actively researching or applying for mortgage products. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, you’re focusing your marketing spend on high-intent buyers, at exactly the right time. 

What Is inMarket Monitoring? 

inMarket Monitoring is Camber Marketing Group’s advanced consumer behavior tracking solution. It’s designed to detect when a potential borrower is showing real-time signs of mortgage activity—such as: 

  • Applying for a mortgage with a competitor. 
  • Requesting quotes online. 
  • Engaging with mortgage-related digital content. 
  • Comparing rates or terms. 
  • Triggering credit inquiries. 

This isn’t cold outreach. These are warm, high-quality leads—people actively in the market for the mortgage products you provide. 

Why Timing Matters More Than Ever 

The mortgage landscape is more competitive than ever. And with borrowers shopping around, loyalty is no longer a given. If your brand isn’t the first to make contact, you could easily lose out. 

With Camber’s trigger monitoring program, you don’t have to wait for new leads to find you. You’ll know when potential borrowers are taking steps toward financing, and you can reach out before a competitor closes the deal. 

How Camber Helps You Act Fast—and Smart 

Don’t worry – we’ve done all the homework already. Now, you get to reap the rewards. Camber’s trigger monitoring program offers tri-bureau monitoring unlike any other lead provider. We also help you get in front of trigger leads multiple times over a 30-day period from the trigger event. 

Within hours of a mortgage inquiry, we not only alert you and provide trigger details, but we also immediately mail a priority retention letter on your behalf.  And we don’t stop at just one point of contact. We offer a full remail strategy that targets each trigger four times over the course of a month with a total response rate of up to 20%. 

  • Day 1: You get notified of the trigger lead, and we mail each a 9×12 priority envelope mailing. 
  • Week 2: Double window envelope mailing. 
  • Week 3: A 9×12 oversized paperboard envelope mailing with special label. 
  • Week 4: Double window envelope mailing. 

Camber’s monitoring of all three bureaus ensures up to a 40% higher capture of new mortgage inquiries.  

Better Results, Lower Waste 

This level of speed and precision is hard to replicate with digital-only campaigns. And with Camber’s variable data printing and segmentation strategies, your message doesn’t just land—it also resonates.  

By focusing on buyers who are already showing intent, you: 

  • Reduce spend on cold leads. 
  • Improve ROI. 
  • Close more loans with less effort. 

Plus, our inMarket Monitoring can be paired with other strategies, such as past client portfolio monitoring, to create a comprehensive marketing plan that covers all bases and keeps your pipeline full. 

Make Every Touchpoint Count 

Mortgage marketing doesn’t have to be a guessing game. With inMarket Monitoring, it’s targeted, timely, and effective. Camber puts real-time data to work—so you reach buyers exactly when it matters most. 

Want to learn more about how to use inMarket Monitoring to strengthen your marketing strategy? Connect with our team today. 

credit-trigger-leads

The Power of Credit Trigger Leads: How Mortgage Lenders Can Capitalize on Buyer Intent

July 17, 2025

Timing is everything. Identifying when a borrower actively seeks financing can mean the difference between closing a deal and losing out to an eager competitor.  

Credit trigger leads are a tool that can provide this timely insight. 

Understanding Credit Trigger Leads 

Credit trigger leads are initiated when a consumer applies for a line of credit, like a mortgage loan. The application results in a hard inquiry into their credit report. Bureaus then sell these leads, allowing lenders to target individuals the moment they are considering a loan. 

Camber Marketing Group’s Portfolio Monitoring: A Strategic Alternative 

Who’s your ideal customer? Healthy loan-to-value ratio, high credit score, and low debt-to-income? Camber Marketing Group’s inMARKET monitoring program will alert you when customers meeting your criteria apply for a mortgage.  

This proactive approach allows you to: 

  • Stay Engaged: Receive notifications within 24 hours of a credit inquiry, enabling timely follow-up. 
  • Boost Clientele: Our unique system sends a personalized acquisition letter on your behalf, allowing you to connect with customers first. Now you can offer competitive options before that ideal client commits elsewhere. 
  • Tri-Bureau Monitoring:  Other monitoring sources use just one bureau, while the average consumer may inquire and post an inquiry with any one of the three credit bureaus.  Camber monitors all three bureaus to ensure up a 40% higher capture of new mortgage inquiries and 100% capture of those seeking a new mortgage or HELOC solution.   
  • Additional Credit Filters:  Camber can look at the entire credit profile picture of every individual inquiring or those who are showing a propensity to need a new mortgage based on factors like increased debt load, change in credit score or other credit attributes signaling that individual is a prime candidate for a cashout refinance or new loan product ahead of their credit inquiry.   This puts you at a competitive advantage and first in line to speak with those in need of a mortgage solution to their financial situation. 
  • Enjoy Convenience: Within 24 hours of a credit inquiry, we’ll upload a prospect’s information to a secure server where you will be able to access it that same day.  
  • Improve Response Rates: Leveraging direct mail campaigns for retargeting can yield up to eight times the response rate of digital efforts, ensuring messages are seen and considered. 

Why This Matters for You  

Forging and maintaining strong lender-client relationships is the name of the game. Our portfolio monitoring and inMARKET monitoring help you safeguard your client base and keep your talents top of mind when they go seeking a new mortgage. 

Credit trigger leads offer invaluable insight into borrower intent. Camber Marketing Group provides a refined approach that is at once targeted, scalable, and affordable. By staying informed and proactive, lenders can capitalize on buyer intent quickly and effectively. 

cash-out-refinance-clients

How Mortgage Lenders Can Attract More Cash-Out Refinance Clients

June 11, 2025

In a competitive lending environment, cash-out refinance clients represent a valuable and often under-leveraged opportunity. These homeowners choose to refinance their existing mortgage while withdrawing a portion of their home equity in cash. They frequently do so to consolidate debt, fund renovations, or cover large expenses.

While interest rate fluctuations can influence volume, demand for cash-out refinancing remains steady, particularly when homeowners are looking to tap into built-up equity for financial flexibility.

Identifying and engaging these clients before your competitors do is key, making strategic retargeting a critical part of any plan.

Don’t Overlook Direct Mail

It should go without saying that well-timed, personalized direct mail campaigns alone can drive strong results. Direct mail continues to outperform many digital efforts when it comes to capturing the attention of older homeowners who may be ideal candidates for cash-out refinancing. When delivered to the right household at the right time, professionally designed mail pieces, like those Camber produces, can spark interest, prompt questions, and generate inbound calls. Our direct mail team specializes in creating these types of data-driven campaigns that speak directly to cash-out refinancing clients’ needs and financial goals.

More Insights from More Sources

Targeting just the right audience ahead of when those individuals may inquire about a mortgage is critical when identifying cashout refinance candidates.   With 3 times the data sources of typical direct marketing firms and insights on individuals’ exact credit profile, like debt balances, credit scores, cash-out propensity models, home loan-to-value (LTV) ratios and many more Camber can identify people likely to need a new mortgage BEFORE they ever inquire with another mortgage provider.  And then connect you with them with proven direct mail marketing campaigns.

Why Retargeting Past Clients May Be the Smart Play

Many cash-out refinance opportunities originate from a lender’s existing database. Past borrowers already know your brand, your service, and your processes, which means they’re far more likely to respond when approached with the right message at the right time.

But here’s the challenge: by the time a past client reaches out to another lender, you may have already lost the opportunity. Unless you’re watching the market closely (or you have someone doing it for you).

Putting Camber to Work with Portfolio Monitoring

Camber Marketing Group’s monitoring services give lenders a powerful advantage in today’s market. Here’s how it works:

  • Real-Time Alerts: Camber monitors your past clients and alerts you when someone applies for a mortgage elsewhere. This may be a good sign that they’re potential cash-out refinance clients.
  • Immediate Engagement: Within 24 hours, a personalized retention letter is mailed to the client on your behalf, reminding them of the value and trust they’ve already built with your team.
  • Direct Mail that Delivers: Retargeting with direct mail can yield up to eight times the response rate of digital-only marketing. It cuts through the noise and lands directly in your client’s hands. It’s tangible, timely, and tailored to their needs.
  • Protect Your Pipeline: Don’t lose cash-out refinance clients to your competition. Stay ahead of the game with a system designed to keep you connected and engaged with past clients who are back in the market.

Why Lenders Should Act Now

With home values remaining elevated in many markets, cash-out refinancing remains a popular option for qualified borrowers. Timing is everything, though. Without a way to monitor and re-engage past clients, lenders risk losing out on loans they’ve already worked hard to earn.

Camber’s approach doesn’t just help you reconnect with customers; it also helps you retain them. With more clients and more closed loans, your marketing ROI will soar.

Don’t just cast a wider net, cast a smarter one. With Camber Marketing Group at your side, you can stay top-of-mind, re-engage former borrowers, and secure more profitable refinance opportunities.

ways to find qualified mortgage leads

5 Ways to Find Qualified Mortgage Leads

February 28, 2024

Finding qualified mortgage leads in today’s competitive market is crucial for lenders and loan officers who aim to drive conversions and increase their portfolio. There are plenty of strategies out there, to be sure. It’s essential to differentiate between more common, sometimes subpar approaches and the most effective tactics. Here are some ways to find qualified mortgage leads:

  1. Social Media Marketing

Social media platforms are fertile grounds for mortgage professionals to connect with potential clients. By leveraging targeted ads, engaging content, and interactive tools like mortgage calculators, lenders can attract individuals who are in the market for a new home or looking to refinance. This approach certainly allows for a broad reach, but the leads generated may require further qualification to ensure they meet your lending criteria.

  1. Content Marketing and SEO

Creating valuable content that answers the questions of potential borrowers can significantly improve your visibility on search engines. By focusing on SEO strategies, such as keyword optimization and backlinking, your website becomes more likely to appear in search results when individuals are seeking mortgage advice. This method is great for attracting informed leads, but it may also require continuous effort to maintain both rankings and relevance.

  1. Networking and Referrals

Establishing solid relationships with real estate agents, financial planners, and existing clients can often lead to high-quality referrals. In theory, these professionals can then recommend your services to potential borrowers who are already considering a mortgage, ensuring a higher level of pre-qualification. While effective, this method hinges heavily on personal relationships and the experience provided to both the referral source and the client.

  1. Lead Buying

Purchasing leads from third-party providers can offer immediate access to potential clients. However, the quality and exclusivity of these leads can vary, sometimes resulting in contacts that are not as qualified or interested as you might hope. This approach requires diligence in selecting a reputable provider and a robust follow-up strategy to convert leads into clients.

  1. Targeted Lead Generation Strategies with Camber Marketing Group

Camber Marketing Group stands out in the crowd by employing targeted lead generation strategies that go beyond the conventional methods. With a focus on portfolio monitoring, direct mail marketing, and analytics, our team tailors its approach to meet the specific needs of mortgage lenders and loan officers.

Camber’s holistic approach not only attracts qualified leads but also nurtures them through personalized engagement, significantly increasing the chances of conversion.

A powerful three-tiered approach allows mortgage professionals to leverage their expertise in targeted lead generation to outperform the competition and grow their business sustainably.

By integrating these three strategies, Camber Marketing Group not only targets potential leads more accurately but also enhances the overall efficiency of mortgage marketing campaigns. This approach ensures that lenders can reach the right people with the right message at the right time, significantly improving the odds of converting leads into actual borrowers.

Block house, change, and charts for surge in housing

Mortgage Lenders Should Capitalize on a (Possible) Surge in Housing

September 1, 2023

Is Airbnb on the verge of collapse?

Recent indicators have suggested a looming downturn in the short-term rental platform’s revenues. Such an economic shift could result in significant repercussions for the housing sector.

But where there is change, there’s also opportunity.

A New Surge in Housing Inventory?

Airbnb hosts, a majority of whom are entrepreneurial homeowners, have reaped significant financial gains by capitalizing on the short-term rental boom. But with revenues dropping, many may find it insupportable to maintain properties specifically for this purpose. This scenario points towards an impending surge in housing inventory, as hosts might put their properties up for sale. Even if a “surge” does not transpire – time will tell – it spotlights a need for lenders and brokers to take advantage of opportunities when they are at hand. Consider:

  • According to a recent report from data and analytics group AllTheRooms, revenues per listing for the San Francisco-based Airbnb have dropped by almost 50 percent in cities like Austin, TX, and Phoenix, AZ.
  • There are currently 1 million Airbnb homes compared to 570,000 homes for sale in the U.S.
  • Between June 28-29, when news of a potential collapse broke, stock prices for Airbnb dropped from $131.35 per share to $123.42, signifying customer skepticism.

Whether or not the speculated Airbnb “collapse” materializes, one thing remains clear: the tumultuous nature of today’s news cycle makes it increasingly difficult for any single message to stand out. Amidst the digital barrage of notifications, emails, and online ads, the intimate, tactile experience of receiving and reading direct mail becomes even more unique. For mortgage lenders, this presents an opportunity to connect on a deeper, more personalized level with their target audience.

Direct mail marketing solutions can pierce through the noise, delivering messages that not only inform but also resonate. By ensuring your communications are both timely and tangible, lenders can foster a sense of trust and reliability, encouraging potential clients to engage even when the housing market remains steady.

A Window of Opportunity

While this could be a challenging time for some, for mortgage loan officers, it presents an unprecedented opportunity. When new housing floods the market, potential buyers will be on the lookout for attractive mortgage deals. The catch? Capturing this audience before the competition does.

Direct mail marketing is a frequently underestimated tool that delivers a strategic advantage. A personalized direct mail campaign can target prospects and existing partners, providing information about favorable mortgage rates, offers, and more. By building a connection with potential clients through tangible, direct outreach, lenders can establish trust and foster relationships that digital mediums often fail to garner.

Leveraging Portfolio Monitoring Services

Another ace up the mortgage lender’s sleeve is utilizing portfolio monitoring services. Take Camber Marketing Group, for instance. Our services enable mortgage lenders to be instantly alerted when a client’s credit data is pulled for a mortgage. This real-time information allows lenders to proactively reach out to clients, fostering retention and ensuring they remain the preferred choice for existing customers.

By retaining customers while simultaneously exploring new opportunities arising from today’s talk of Airbnb “collapse” or tomorrow’s housing headlines, mortgage lenders can strategically navigate the shifting terrains of the housing sector.

The projected dip in Airbnb revenues and the subsequent surge in housing is a testament to the ever-evolving nature of the real estate market. For the savvy mortgage lender, the horizon is bright, with opportunities waiting to be seized. It’s a game of strategy, timing, and leveraging the right tools. Thanks to the enduring value of direct mail, mortgage lenders can be well-prepared to navigate both speculative market shifts and the constants of the industry. Camber Marketing Group can help. Reach out to our team today to learn more.

how to boost client retention

Boost Client Retention (and Beat Competitors to the Punch) with Portfolio Monitoring Services

May 25, 2023

When you think of how much you invest to create a new customer, the value of retaining that customer is significant.

As a lending officer, your clients are at the very heart of your business. With today’s competition in the lending industry, it is important to implement smart lending practices that will help retain clients. The likelihood of selling to an existing customer in the future is much greater than selling to new prospects.

Retention is the key. And one of the most effective ways to achieve it is through portfolio monitoring services. Keeping tabs on your clients’ credit activities over a given period can help you gain insight into their financial habits and better respond to their financial needs.

Here’s how it works:

  • When a current or former client is in the market for a new mortgage, portfolio monitoring services will notify you within 24 hours of their credit inquiry.
  • A custom retention letter is mailed on your behalf, helping you engage and retain your past customers within 24 hours of them signaling a need.
  • Clients are happy because you are helping them right when they need it and making sure they are aware of all their lending options.

As we mentioned, happier, non-nomadic clients are the goal. Monitoring services aren’t just a tool to keep early payoffs at bay, they frequently save customers from hidden, costly fees that your competitors never even bother to disclose.

Here are some other ways to leverage portfolio monitoring services to shine in the eyes of your customer:

  • Get Their Attention: Eye-catching retention pieces are crucial to set your letter apart from the general mail that consumers receive daily. You want pieces that speak directly to your customers’ needs and remind them of all the reasons that working with you again will benefit them.  This will give you the highest chance of engagement.
  • Offer Personalized Credit Services: Every client is unique, and what they need from you financially may differ. Using portfolio monitoring services, you can collect and analyze data specific to each client’s financial behavior, allowing you to personalize your offerings and spotlight your customer service skills. Not only do you position yourself as a lender who knows and cares about your clients’ financial well-being, but by offering personalized solutions to your clients, you also build trust and confidence while setting yourself apart from your competitors.
  • Communicate with Clients. This is a big one. In today’s fast-paced world, lenders must be proactive in reaching out to clients to update them on their accounts and answer any questions they may have. Portfolio monitoring services provide a blueprint, of sorts, to your customers’ financial needs, which you can then use to drive effective direct mail correspondence. Whether offering advice on how they can improve and maintain their credit score or offering the latest lending options that suit their needs, monitoring services make you a shoo-in for success, while beating your competitors to the punch.
  • Provide ongoing guidance. Portfolio monitoring services also allow you to provide ongoing guidance, rather than waiting for them to come to you with questions or concerns. Be proactive with regular educational materials, from monthly newsletters offering financial tips and advice, or quarterly check-ins to reassess a customer’s financial health. Leverage direct mail solutions to remain front-of-mind and reinforce your commitment to their ongoing prosperity.

Camber knows that helping your past clients with their next loan is the fastest and easiest way to generate more closes each month at the lowest cost. Consider: 1% – 3% of your past customers are in the market for a new mortgage each and every month.  Implementing our portfolio monitoring services can help to keep clients satisfied – and stationary – while beating your competitors’ best efforts in the process. And did you know? Using direct mail to retarget can deliver up to eight times the response rate of digital marketing. If you would like to set up a time to discuss portfolio monitoring options with one of our team members, Contact us today.

cash out mortgage leads

How to Leverage Cash-Out Opportunities While Fostering Long-Term Client Relationships

April 14, 2023

We all know that cash-out opportunities allow homeowners to convert the equity they have into dollars, while they continue to pay off their mortgage. Camber Marketing Group can help you with direct marketing campaigns designed to let customers and potential clients know about leveraging cash-out opportunities.

But for lenders, they can also be a way to convert the personal equity you have built through your professional relationship into future opportunities for engagement, retention, referral, and so much more.

Consider this: in 2021, lenders tapped into approximately $1.2 trillion in cash-out refinances, a 20 percent increase from the year before, and hitting a high that hadn’t been seen since 2005.

Still, according to data culled by analytics firm Black Knight, recapture rates from that same period remained shockingly low – with only 21% of borrowers remaining true to their original lender.

Why? Some fingers pointed to more efforts being poured into attracting new blood than fostering a business relationship with existing clients, even when the cost of acquisition is approximately five times more than the cost of retention.

And while mortgage rates almost doubled beginning in 2022, with FHFA boosting upfront fees for most cash-out loans, rate lock activity turned a corner once again earlier this year, with cash-out refis rising 25% in January.

Luckily, there are ways that loan officers can up their retention game considerably, all while helping their customers refinance. After all, the ins and outs of cash-out opportunities may be confusing for your borrowers. By helping them navigate the financing process you may be able to foster long-term relationships simultaneously. Here are just four ways to make it happen:

  1. Teach: It’s more than likely that borrowers, particularly young families, may not understand the requirements for cash-out financing, how much they can borrow, or the potential risks associated with this kind of loan. As a mortgage lender it is important to provide borrowers with clear and concise information on the cash-out financing process, including an overview of the application process, what documents they need to provide, and the timeframe for approval.

It’s also critical that lenders educate borrowers on the different types of cash-out loans available. Borrowers may be eligible for an FHA cash-out refinance or a conventional cash-out refinance. Each comes with its own set of eligibility requirements and terms. By explaining the pros and cons of each, you help borrowers make the best decision for their unique financial situation.

  1. Assess: If a borrower is considering cash-out opportunities for home improvements, help them estimate the costs of the renovations and determine if the increased monthly mortgage payment will fit within their budget. When you collaborate with borrowers and help them see their financial situation in a new light, you not only ensure that informed decisions are made – which helps both parties in the long run – but you begin to build, or build upon, a trusting professional relationship that will serve you well in the decades to come.
  2. Support: Even after approval is granted, you should continue to provide support throughout the life of the loan. Keep in touch with your customers via direct mail marketing. Help them understand their monthly mortgage statement and provide them with a lifeline they can access to ask questions about loan terms or receive advice on how to manage their monthly payments. Building a relationship with borrowers and providing ongoing support ensures a successful experience with your company that is worth telling their friends and family about.
  3. Monitor: Keep monitoring interest rates and the availability of funds. If rates drop, reach out to eligible borrowers immediately and let them know about new opportunities to refinance cash-out loans at a lower rate. Camber Marketing Group can help you design a campaign to reach borrowers quickly when they need you most.

By working closely with your borrowers, lenders help ensure that they make informed decisions about their cash-out financing options and have nothing but positive things to say about their loans.

Camber Marketing Group will help you launch a marketing campaign targeted at eager groups of credit-qualified, equity-rich homeowners. Reach out to us today to find out more about options and to get started.

A housing professional reviews paperwork for early payoff penalties blog.

Early Payoff Penalties Pose a Real Risk for Brokers

January 19, 2023

Recent rate movements are prompting an uptick in early payoffs, creating new risks for mortgage brokers.

Mortgage rates have dropped rapidly over the last few months. In December, alone, they stood at three-month lows and were an entire point below November’s rates.

Attractive new loans will be coming online, and competitors are eyeing your customers, ready to pounce with a refinancing offer.

The risk is real for brokers.

After all, you rely on services such as refinancing and home equity loans to boost your profits after an initial transaction has been completed. If your borrower pays off their loan early, these additional services also evaporate, leading to reduced profit margins over time if multiple borrowers follow suit.

But there’s more. Mortgage servicers who purchase your loans on the secondary market aren’t looking to lose money, either. To protect their investment, they’ll institute Early Pay Off (EPO) penalties, which guarantee a minimum return if that loan is paid off in under 4-6 months. These EPO fees can easily surpass $10,000, wiping out any commission accrued and setting a broker back big time.

Fortunately, Camber Marketing Group is here to help. Our team protects brokers using portfolio monitoring solutions that issue alerts whenever recent clients go shopping for a new mortgage.

Our services help to keep you engaged with customers who are seeking to refinance. You will be notified within 24 hours of a credit inquiry, allowing you to intervene before early payoffs occur. A retention letter will even be dispatched on your behalf.

We can monitor all closed loans up to the previous month, providing clarity and actionable data that will ultimately protect you from shelling out for early payoff penalties.

Not only that, but early intervention may be critical to saving a customer from hidden fees that they are blissfully unaware of, simply because they were sold a line from a competitor.

As always, it’s important to keep in mind that happy customers who feel financially secure are ultimately beneficial to your business and bottom line. Remember: the likelihood of selling to an existing customer in the future is far greater than selling to prospects. Striking that happy medium and making business decisions that are mutually beneficial to all parties is the key. And Camber Marketing Group can help.

Reach out to our team today, protect your earnings, and never lose another loan.