Mortgage Banker

Person or business that originates mortgages and receives payments. The mortgage banker typically sells these mortgages to investors and obtains service fees for the loans. The mortgage banker is a major initiator of FHA- and VA-insured mortgages and also serves a key function in the conventional mortgage markets. Financial help is often sought from a lender, typically a commercial bank. The bank become a warehouse for mortgage money, and the mortgage banker draws on these funds until payment is received from the investors. Usually the mortgage banker continues to service the loan even after the loan has been packaged and sold. For this management service, a small percentage of the amount collected is retained before forwarding the balance to the investor. The success of the mortgage banker depends upon the ability to generate new loans. In some geographic areas, mortgage bankers are the primary source for financing real estate. All mortgage bankers try to stay in constant touch with investors and are aware of changing market conditions and lender requirements. Quite often the loan origination fee or finder's fee charged the borrower is more than offset by a lower interest rate from a lender not directly accessible to the borrower. Mortgage bankers are involved in both commercial and residential financing and also carry out related activities such as writing hazard insurance policies, appraising, and investment counseling. As with mortgage brokers, mortgage bankers are regulated by state law.