News Source: The Mortgage Collaborative

VOLUME GROWTH FROM EXISTING STAFF RANKS AS LENDERS’ TOP PRIORITY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 2026, THE MORTGAGE COLLABORATIVE’S SURVEY FINDS

Lenders also focused on early-stage AI adoption and reducing cost-per-loan

SAN DIEGO, Calif., July 20, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, today released results from its June 2026 Pulse of the Network survey. The biannual survey gathered input from mortgage lenders, including independent mortgage banks, credit unions and depository institutions, on strategic priorities heading into the second half of 2026.

Image caption: The Mortgage Collaborative.

According to the survey results, lenders are focused on growth heading into the second half of 2026 and intend to rely mostly on existing staff to achieve that goal. Three-quarters of respondents said their primary growth strategy is to increase production from their current sales team, while 64% plan to recruit experienced loan officers. Overall, 83% said their companies are focused on growth, and 89% expect origination volume to climb in the second half of the year. Most are projecting moderate gains of 5% to 20%, though 17% anticipate a significant jump. Elevated interest rates, tight housing inventory and margin compression remain the biggest obstacles.

Technology ranked second on lenders’ priority lists, though most are still in the exploration phase with AI. While 83% said they are evaluating AI tools across their businesses, only 17% have deployed the technology in live production workflows. The most frequently cited barrier to AI adoption is trust, with a quarter of respondents saying their organizations aren’t yet confident in AI-generated outputs.

Operational efficiency rounded out lenders’ top three priorities, with an emphasis on making better use of existing investments and talent. Reducing loan production costs was the top operational priority for 86% of respondents, followed by vendor and technology consolidation at 64% and reduction in turn times at 56%. Personnel-wise, three-quarters of respondents say they are investing in technology to improve loan officer productivity, and 72% plan to improve compensation and incentive structures to keep top performers.

Borrower retention/recapture ranked as the top secondary market priority by 75% of respondents, in light of the growing opportunity in this area due to gradually declining interest rates. Nearly as many, 72%, are working to broaden their investor and agency relationships, while 69% are strengthening their post-close processes. From a product perspective, respondents identified conventional purchase loans and non-QM lending as the two largest opportunities for volume growth in the second half of the year.

Lenders’ caution around AI also extends to their compliance departments, where automated decisioning now consumes more resources than any other area of compliance, according to 75% of respondents. Nearly half expressed concerns about fair lending risk tied to AI decisioning, and 22% say they haven’t yet fully assessed it. State-level regulatory complexity remains a burden as well, with 53% calling it a meaningful drain on resources.

“The results show a membership that is more confident about volume in the second half of the year, but still disciplined about how they get there,” said Jodi Hall, president and CEO of The Mortgage Collaborative. “Members are prioritizing production from their current teams and technology investment over expansion, and they are asking specific questions about AI governance and per-loan costs.”

TMC conducts the Pulse of the Network survey twice a year to identify what lender members are navigating and where they are seeking support. Results inform programming for TMC’s working groups, lender-only collaboration labs, TMC Insight benchmarking initiatives and conference programming. The survey results are provided at https://mailchi.mp/mtgcoop/pulse-of-the-network.

About The Mortgage Collaborative

The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC) is a membership-driven organization that empowers mortgage lenders across the United States through networking, education and advocacy. TMC fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation, ensuring its members succeed regardless of market conditions. For more information, visit mortgagecollaborative.com.

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