Real Estate Technology, Real Estate Investment
PRnewswire | June 27, 2023
FirstClose, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Georgia United Credit Union, one of the largest and strongest credit unions in Georgia, has chosen FirstClose Equity as its end-to-end digital home equity platform to meet the demands of its more than 150,000 credit union members.
Serving Georgia since 1958, Georgia United Credit Union is a full-service credit union with a dozen branches across the Atlanta metropolitan area, as well as Athens, Dalton, and Dublin. The organization's purpose-driven commitment in service is the reason Georgia United stands out from other financial institutions and has been recognized by Forbes as a Best-In-State Credit Union for four years in a row.
Using FirstClose Equity, Georgia United Credit Union will be able to reduce its time to close and provide an exceptional member experience for home equity transactions. Borrowers can get feedback on their home valuation, available equity, get prequalified, submit for a loan and receive a conditional approval all within minutes. With this solution, processors have one solution for ordering all required settlement services while never leaving their loan origination system (LOS), eliminating the need for manual data entry.
"Operational efficiency is key to sustainable, long-term member satisfaction," said Andrew Woodman, Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending and Loan Trading with Georgia United Credit Union. "Our members deserve an elegant, streamlined front-end vehicle to apply for a home equity transaction and achieve transparency. We want members to spend more quality time building relationships with their Home Loan Consultant and ultimately close loans faster which is why we selected FirstClose Equity. It puts us in a better position for those challenges and demands for future success."
FirstClose Equity is a one-of-a-kind home equity origination solution that reduces operational touchpoints and improves the overall customer experience for borrowers. The end-to-end platform includes a borrower-facing point-of-sale solution that gives consumers instant online feedback on their home valuation, available home equity, loan options and delivers credit decisions in minutes. Automated workflows, including the ordering of settlement services, enable lenders to complete the application through closing process in as little as ten days versus the industry average of 45 to 60 days.
"We're excited to power an enhanced home equity experience at Georgia United," said Tedd Smith, Chief Executive Officer of FirstClose. "Providing technology to help their members keep their existing low mortgage rate and tap into their equity at a faster pace, will be a gamechanger."
About Georgia United Credit Union
Georgia United Credit Union is an award-winning financial leader and partner in education. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia United is ranked as one of the state's largest credit unions with $2 billion in assets and over 150,000 members. As a full-service financial institution, they offer competitive products and services for every stage of life. Visit gucu.org to learn more.
About FirstClose
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, FirstClose, Inc. provides fintech solutions to HELOC and mortgage lenders nationwide. The company's mission is to increase profitability and reduce cost for mortgage lenders. FirstClose makes this possible through offering systems and relationships that enable lenders to assist the lender's borrowers more effectively, reduce closing costs, and ultimately shorten closing times. For more information, visit firstclose.com.
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Market Outlook, Real Estate Technology
PRnewswire | July 19, 2023
MRI Software, a global leader in real estate solutions, announced that it has expanded its offerings to the Canadian market through the launch of its first cloud instance in Canada. MRI clients in Canada can now easily access the latest solutions from MRI and host their data in country, ensuring compliance with privacy and security regulations.
"We're thrilled to grow our footprint in Canada, demonstrating our continued commitment to ensuring our clients' success and supporting the larger Canadian market," said John Ensign, president and executive managing director of North America for MRI Software. "In fact, MRI was actually one of the first PropTech companies to support property management businesses in Canada, and in recent years, we've significantly expanded our portfolio of solutions in the region. The new cloud instance marks an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to deliver the best services and products to this market."
Through the new cloud instance, Canadian clients can take advantage of MRI Agora™, the company's next-generation real estate platform. Built on an AI-first foundation, MRI Agora empowers businesses to automate mundane tasks through connected data and shared services, and MRI Agora Insights unearths actionable portfolio trends to drive better business decisions. The hyper-connected platform bridges MRI's solutions with partner and third-party systems, providing users with the flexibility to control their technology strategy and embrace their applications and processes in a unified experience -- ultimately driving competitive advantage. Additionally, Canadian clients using MRI Property Management X and MRI Angus can now leverage MRI Agora to access the broader range of advanced capabilities from MRI and the PropTech ecosystem.
"MRI clients in Canada can now enjoy enhanced performance, security and compliance," says Terry Keller, MRI's senior vice president of information technology. "The ability to access the most advanced solutions from MRI and host data within Canada will give clients unprecedented insights into their property portfolios and clear the way for future scalability."
MRI has grown its longstanding presence in Canada, and the number of employees in the region has increased by over 400% within the past two years. In addition to extending access to the MRI Agora platform in the region, MRI has also expanded its facility management and energy management solutions. MRI's cloud instance in Canada is part of the Microsoft Azure data center footprint in Toronto and Quebec.
MRI's clients can learn more about today's announcement by registering for its upcoming Canadian Client Summit, which will be held July 27 at the Delta Hotel by Marriott in Toronto.
About MRI Software
MRI Software is a leading provider of real estate software solutions that transform the way communities live, work and play. MRI's open and connected, AI-first platform empowers owners, operators and occupiers in commercial and residential property organizations to innovate in rapidly changing markets. MRI has been a trailblazer in the PropTech industry for over five decades, serving more than six million users worldwide. Through innovative solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI gives real estate companies the freedom to realize their vision of building thriving communities and stronger businesses. For more information, please visit mrisoftware.com.
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Real Estate Technology, Mortgage and Lending
Businesswire | June 28, 2023
Newrez LLC (“Newrez”), a leading mortgage lending and servicing organization, today announced a strategic partnership with Homebot, a home finance education portal that empowers consumers to make smart home finance decisions. This partnership taps the power of Homebot to solidify customer intelligence in empowering decisions.
As one of the largest lenders in the country, Newrez continually seeks innovative solutions to support loan officers, their clients and partners, and homeowners from their existing MSR portfolio. Homebot empowers homeowners and buyers with personalized home finance insights, market intelligence, and property search experiences, while keeping them connected with their trusted home advisor every step of the way.
"At Newrez, our mission is to reimagine the homeownership experience by empowering our clients to make the best financial decisions every step of the way. By incorporating Homebot’s rich content and technology in our servicing portfolio, it will allow our loan officers to provide clients support based upon their needs during their homeownership journey,” said Baron Silverstein, President of Newrez. "Newrez is also one of the first companies to offer Homebot to our servicing portfolio, a strategic initiative to drive enhanced engagement and recapture efforts.”
The partnership with Homebot will enable loan officers to deliver powerful, highly-personalized insights to homeowners and buyers, ultimately creating more connected client relationships and increasing engagement. Plus, Homebot’s rich behavioral engagement insights give loan officers an opportunity to connect with clients and prospects at the right time, the moment they start showing signals of intent.
“We’re incredibly excited about the relationship we’ve developed with Newrez and the opportunity we have to fuel retail growth and servicing recapture efforts, all by empowering and educating millions of clients,” said Charlie Pratt, CEO of Homebot.
ABOUT NEWREZ
Based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, Newrez is a leading mortgage company, dedicated to reimagining the homeownership journey. Combining mortgage origination and servicing, we are uniquely positioned to offer a streamlined, customer-centric experience, catering to our clients when and where they need us most. Our customer-first strategy empowers homeowners to optimize their investment, guiding them towards the most beneficial financial decisions every step of the way. Founded in 2008, Newrez is a member of the Rithm Capital Family of Companies.
©2023 Newrez LLC, 1100 Virginia Dr., Ste. 125, Fort Washington, PA 19034. 1-888-673-5521. NMLS #3013 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Doing business as Newrez Mortgage LLC in the state of Texas. Alaska Mortgage Lender License #AK3013. Arizona Mortgage Banker License #919777. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law license. Massachusetts Lender #ML-3013. Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance. Licensed Mortgage Banker-NYS Banking Department. Additional licenses available at www.newrez.com.
ABOUT HOMEBOT
Homebot, an ASG company, is a home education portal that keeps people connected to their home advisors (loan officers and real estate agents).
The award winning portal delivers personalized, actionable intelligence throughout the entire homeownership lifecycle. And with an average 50% monthly engagement rate, Homebot ensures lenders and agents remain the trusted advisors that consumers rely on to make informed decisions about the largest asset they may ever own, their home. For more information on Homebot, please visit: homebot.ai
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