Inlanta Mortgage, a mortgage banker since 1993, has dramatically expanded its in-house underwriting since receiving its full Eagle approval with the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in April with the addition of two underwriters. The company now has three full-time DE underwriters with a combined 45 years of experience, specializing in FHA, USDA and conventional mortgages, including one who is VA-approved, which will allow Inlanta Mortgage to add VA underwriting in the near future.
“We made the decision to increase our underwriting capability for two reasons,” said Jean Badciong, chief operating officer at Inlanta Mortgage. “The strong refinance volume in February and March was one factor, but the spring home-buying season really developed and we saw a strong surge in our home purchase business. Although the first-time homebuyer tax credit played a major role in purchase growth, attractive home prices and the large selection of homes available to consumers significantly contributed to demand. In fact, there hasn’t been such a good time to buy a home in the last 20 years.”
Inlanta Mortgage has seen a 35 percent increase in purchase business since the beginning of 2009. Badciong attributed this rise not only to the tax credit and home prices but also to the company’s ability to get loans approved, adding that realtors and homebuyers are looking for lenders who can approve the loans they apply for in a reasonable time frame.
“One of the major reasons we added staff is our commitment to maintaining reasonable turn times,” said Badciong. “That’s the time from when the loan is submitted to underwriting to the time it is approved. We continuously review our business and add staff to compensate for the amount of business we have.”
The three underwriters work with a dedicated account manager, who maintains efficiency and provides valuable oversight. The Account Manager handles file organization, continuously updates everyone at Inlanta Mortgage on the underwriting process and is available to answer scenario and product-placement questions. Moreover, the company expects its underwriting department to continue growing even after the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit expires on Dec. 1, 2009, with all three underwriters excited about opportunities to educate originators on all the valuable loan programs available from Inlanta Mortgage.
In February, Inlanta Mortgage added in-house underwriting to its extensive list of support services for loan officers and partner branches. In-house underwriting provides a number of benefits, including increased control of turn times and individual branch file quality, the ability to recruit mortgage professionals and to offer training to loan officers on a regular basis, thereby improving their ability to close more loans. The added service also brings opportunities such as the option to add FHA lenders who do not currently work under sponsorship plans and additional execution options for VA and USDA loans.
For more information, visit www.inlanta.com.
