As a producer, you know that finding the right branch partner is essential to your success. A good branch company can provide your business with access to the right platform, loan origination capabilities and pricing to thrive – not to mention a team of experts who will be there to troubleshoot problems. But before entering into negotiations with any potential branch partners, it’s important that you vet them thoroughly by asking the right questions. Here are some things you should consider when evaluating different potential partners:

What Should I Look for in a Branch Opportunity?

In order to make sure you’re looking at the right opportunities, ask yourself the following questions:

• What can my partner do for me? A good partnership is one that allows you to focus on what you do best (originating) while your partner handles all of the other functions required to run your business-like non-money-making administrative tasks.
• Can my partner help me grow? Even if a mortgage company has great products and services, it needs to be able to provide support when it comes time for expansion. It’s important that you find a partner who will work with you through this process and provide support as you grow without micromanaging or red tape.

Perhaps the biggest factor to look for when evaluating a potential branch company is the level and quality of ongoing support they offer. 

If the partner you choose isn’t willing and able to provide you with access to an experienced and helpful team to troubleshoot problems, it’s probably not worth moving forward with the deal. If you’re looking for a branch company partner, it’s important to understand what kind of support network they offer. A good branch company should be willing and able to provide you with access to an experienced and helpful team that will assist with troubleshooting problems when needed. The partner you choose should view your success as a direct component of their own, and as such, should want to assist you in helping your mortgage company thrive and grow.

It is not uncommon for the first step in evaluating potential partners to be setting up an initial call or meeting where they can get some basic information on what your business needs are going forward so they can ensure their services meet those needs. This type of review usually includes:

• IT Support (i.e., computer systems, technology and software tech stack)
• Marketing Support (i.e., advertising/branding/online presence)
• Origination Support (i.e., underwriting)
• Processing Support (i.e., loan applications through closing) 
• Accounting/Payroll Support 
• Compliance/Licensing 
• Branch Support

Again, your branch partner should view your success as a direct component of their own, and as such, should want to assist you in helping your mortgage company to thrive and grow.

The ideal partner will be willing to help you with the day-to-day operations of the branch. They should be able to assist with running ads, marketing campaigns and educating the public on products and services that can benefit them most.

Key areas of support you should look for in a branch company include, but are not limited to:

When evaluating a mortgage branch opportunity, there are several areas to consider when choosing the right mortgage branch company. A few key areas of support you should look for in a mortgage branch company include, but are not limited to:

• IT Support – The technology that powers your branch is critical to the success of your business. Without proper IT support, you will likely have difficulty gaining traction within the mortgage industry and attracting prospects. In addition, as technology becomes more advanced, it is important that your lender has access to cutting-edge tools and updates from their vendor partners so they can provide them directly to their customers at no additional cost. You should ask about how vendors are updated and whether or not there are any new products or services being offered by them in order to keep up with the latest trends in home buying/selling technology and other industries.
• Marketing Support – Your lender should be able to help with marketing efforts such as social media, CRM client retention programs, direct mail campaigns or email blasts that reach out directly into potential clients’ homes across different geographic regions (eastern vs western) so they can find people who may need assistance when looking into buying/selling homes soon enough before they actually do so themselves; which means reaching out as early as possible before taking the first step of homeownership.

IT Support

When it comes to IT support, you want to make sure that your branch company is available 24/7. You also need to have access to the help of a team of experts who can assist you with any aspect of your mortgage business.

Your IT support should be able to help you with anything from building out new documents and procedures on their system, setting up new vendor accounts, integrating third-party software, configuring security and compliance rules, troubleshooting problems or bugs in the platform’s functionality—and so much more.

Marketing Support

Another important consideration is the support that will be available to you, as a branch manager. A good mortgage branch should have a marketing department or other individuals who are willing to help you market your business, products and services.

They should also be able to help you market yourself as a professional or authority leader in the industry. This might include speaking engagements at conferences or local networking events.

Origination Support

As you can imagine, origination support is a critical part of any branch relationship. A branch company should be able to provide you with the tools, training and support you need to succeed. This includes everything from marketing materials to compliance support.

Processing Support

Processing support is essential for any mortgage branch to be successful. Processing support is is available at the corporate level or you can have your own processor at your branch to be in complete control of your process. 

Accounting/Payroll Support

• Should be able to handle all accounting and payroll functions.
• Should be able to integrate with your existing software suite
• Should be able to handle taxes, insurance, and other expenses.
• Should be able to handle employee benefits (e.g., health/dental insurance).
• Should be able to handle payroll (e.g., direct deposit)

Compliance/Licensing Support

As a mortgage company, you’ll want to make sure that your branch partner provides compliance and licensing support. This is a critical part of the support your branch partner should offer because it ensures that all the necessary paperwork is completed correctly and on time. This can be especially important for smaller mortgage companies who don’t have an in-house compliance team or access to one if they’re not servicing loans directly themselves. The compliance team should be available to help you with any compliance or licensing issues, as well as answer any questions about how best to ensure that your customers are protected from fraudulent practices or predatory lending practices.

Branch Support

When you are considering a mortgage branch opportunity, one of the most important things to consider is that you will have a great partner who is available to help you grow your business. You want someone who has experience with running mortgages in-branch and who can offer guidance and support along the way. In order for this partnership to work, there must be trust between the two parties involved. You need someone who can give advice on marketing strategies and provide coaching on how best to use social media in order to promote your business effectively.

Conclusion

There are a lot of factors to consider when evaluating a branch company. We’ve covered some of the most important ones here, but there are many more as well. The bottom line is that choosing a partner with experience, good customer service and strong knowledge in all aspects of mortgage lending can make all the difference for your business—and it doesn’t hurt if they offer some great perks either!