Mortgage Builder is set to release the latest version of its loan origination system, a significant update of its technology that’s coupled with an enhanced point-of-sale portal and electronic document management platform.
At a press conference Tuesday in New York, the origination and servicing technology developer announced that the platform will also receive a new name, “Architect by Mortgage Builder,” marking the first name change for the company’s flagship product in 14 years.
According to executives from the Southfield, Mich.-based company, a unique feature of the LOS is that it was built to enable lenders to access it via a traditional client-server deployment (hosted by Mortgage Builder or internally with the lender) or through software-as-a-service deployment using a Web browser. A third configuration allows lenders to take a hybrid approach, deploying both models across their enterprises.
“Our clients who want to host it can convert over and still get all the benefits,” of the upgrade, explained Kelli Himebaugh, Mortgage Builder corporate vice president, during a demonstration of the platform. “But the banks that want remote access can access it through a browser as well.”
Many of the updates center around the look and feel of the LOS. The new user interfaces were designed on the Microsoft-powered software development tools and include screen sharing and zoom features that can be customized by individual users. As lenders move over to the new system, the new aesthetics will be in place, but the functionality will remain in a similar layout that they’re familiar with. Over time, Mortgage Builder will work with lenders to introduce new capabilities and efficiencies that are built into the system.
“Architect brings a whole new look and feel to our LOS,” Himebaugh said.
The LOS is complemented by a Web-based POS application called Surveyance. The software was developed on the ASP.NET framework and its user interface is optimized for use with a tablet browser, while providing connectivity into the back-end Architect LOS.
“Loan officers can listen to iTunes and fill out a 1003 at the same time,” Himebaugh said. “Tying in applications into the Mortgage Builder system creates a lot of efficiencies.”
Mortgage Builder has long provided a browser-based portal to the wholesale channel to allow brokers to view their loan pipeline and communicate with lenders. The tablet-optimized POS application expands on that technology by providing similar access to loan officers in the retail and correspondent channels and improving access with mobile devices.
In an interview with Mortgage Technology following the event, Himebaugh explained that developing a mobile-optimized browser experience was preferred over building a dedicated mobile app on Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android operating systems because of the portal’s ability to dynamically generate closing costs and disclosure documents, though she didn’t rule out a dedicate app in the future.
“Our goal was to get to market with something to get our customers mobile,” she said.
A third component of the release is an update to its electronic document management system. Now called Blueprint, the EDM system received a similar user interface makeover as the LOS. Blueprint is a private-labeled version of the EDM system developed by San Diego-based technology developer Axacore and is customized to fit seamlessly into the LOS environment.
The new releases come nearly four months after
“Servicing is coming back and a lot of mid-size lenders are looking to service,” Smith said.
