As we head to Las Vegas for MBA Annual, it feels fitting that this month’s InFocus article takes us right to the table—because the mortgage industry is truly in a high-stakes game.
In “Raising the Stakes: Competing with Giants in the Age of AI and Consolidation,” we explore how today’s biggest players are reshaping the competitive landscape through vertical integration and technology. Rocket, Bayview, UHM, Compass, and Zillow are all upping the ante—combining real estate, origination, servicing, and AI in ways that are redefining the rules of play.
For independent mortgage bankers, the challenge is clear: decide how to play your hand. Double down on independence? Align strategically? Cash out through M&A? Whichever move you make, strategy—not luck—will determine who’s still in the game when the next hand is dealt.
And speaking of strategy—don’t miss Mike Seminari’s latest CX Tip, “Running Smarter: How Benchmarking Turbo-Charges Servicing Retention.” In it, Mike draws a parallel between competitive running and mortgage servicing, reminding us that success comes not from sprinting, but from running with purpose. His data shows that top-performing servicers aren’t just faster; they’re smarter. They benchmark deeply, communicate proactively, and align their teams around the full borrower experience, not just call center scores.
So, as we head to Vegas and talk strategy, technology, and transformation, remember: every lender is at the table—but only those with a clear, data-driven plan will still be in the game when the cards are down.
See you in Vegas.
Thank you for joining us for the October Insights Report. Your success remains our top priority, and we are here to support you every step of the way. STRATMOR provides a wide range of advisory services to facilitate, optimize and address the challenges lenders are facing today, including strategy design and implementation, financial benchmarking and performance, process review and improvement, maximizing servicing assets, optimizing your customer experience initiatives to get more business, technology procurement and implementation, M&A and strategic options, and much more. STRATMOR’s advisory team is available now to discuss these services. Please contact us to learn more.
The mortgage industry’s high-stakes game has entered a new round, and the table looks very different than it did just a year ago. The players are bigger, the bets are higher, and the odds are being reshaped by technology.
Our question this month: If you’re a mortgage servicer, are you running strategically—or just running?
There are only a few seats left for STRATMOR’s Consumer Direct Workshop, happening November 5–6 in Charlotte, NC.
Origination costs are at an all-time high. Given that sales costs will continue to be the largest component of retail origination costs, what can be done to manage this beast?
Understanding the key characteristics of the Expense Management Branch (EMB) and comparing the key performance metrics between it and the corporate branch model is essential to identifying which is best for your organization.
Secret shopping is the best way for lenders to remove the disconnection between perception and reality and pave the way for meaningful improvements in customer experience.
Last week, several of us from STRATMOR attended the Welcome Conference in New York City. For those who haven’t been, it’s the most influential gathering of hospitality legends anywhere in the world. Founded by Will Guidara, the restaurateur behind Unreasonable Hospitality, the event convenes a single stage of world-class presenters — this year’s lineup included organizational psychologist Adam Grant, Ogilvy advertising guru Rory Sutherland, and Jesse Cole, the flamboyant founder of the Savannah Bananas.
What struck us most was the diversity of the crowd. Restaurateurs and hoteliers were there in force, but so were leaders from finance, healthcare and beyond. Curiously, mortgage was barely represented. That’s surprising, given that no industry has more at stake.
Buying or refinancing a home is among life’s most emotional, stressful, and consequential financial experiences. Yet the process is often transactional, confusing, or simply forgettable. Too often, borrowers walk away feeling stressed, confused, and frustrated instead of cared for.
As we left the conference, one thing was crystal clear: If your customers or members are human, then you’re in the hospitality business.
In last month’s article, “Checkmate or Checkpoint? Rethinking the Role of Mortgage Servicing,” we challenged the traditional view of mortgage servicing as a passive, back-office function, and explored how servicing is becoming a strategic lever for borrower engagement, operational strength, and long-term growth. In this follow-up article, we shift from strategy to execution: how can servicers turn that strategy into action amid rising digital expectations, regulatory flux, and MSR volatility?
For years, servicing has been treated like a pawn on the mortgage lending chessboard—important, but largely seen as a back-office function. In 2025, the board has shifted. Servicing is no longer stuck on the back rank but has moved from the sidelines to center stage, evolving into a queen-like force—versatile, strategic, and capable of driving meaningful advantage.
Lenders today are not simply reacting to interest rate volatility, regulatory pressure, and changing borrower behavior, they’re making calculated, forward-thinking moves to turn servicing into a lever for growth, loyalty, and operational strength. Many are starting to see servicing not just as a cost center, but as a position of strength—one that can shape the outcome of the entire game.
What’s driving this shift? Data and advisory insight are at the core. Today’s servicing challenges are complex and interconnected: compliance, borrower experience, and portfolio performance are no longer siloed. Instead, they require coordinated strategies powered by analytics and enhanced by the right partnerships.
This article explores how mortgage servicing is evolving, the rise of subservicing, the challenges lenders face, and the strategic moves that can turn servicing into a competitive strategic advantage. We’ll also share how STRATMOR Group is helping banks and lenders across the country make smarter moves that align servicing with their broader goals.
Feel free to reach out with any questions or needs we might be able to help with.
