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In recent years, you may have heard of “machine learning” being used for everything from diagnosing diseases to writing screenplays. But what is machine learning, and how does it work? Read on to understand the value of this emerging technology and how NestReady is using it to help financial institutions provide a seamless, end-to-end homebuying experience.

Whether you’re a small community lender, or a mid-sized institution with a regional footprint, chances are you don’t have a lot of extra money in the budget to spend on marketing and advertising. That’s why it’s so important to capture and analyze data about the consumers who visit through your website and other online properties.

See what other loan officers and mortgage originators got to say about activating a personalized real-estate marketplace that puts them at the center of a customer home-buying journey, and helps them generate leads.

Overview

With the vast majority of consumers searching for homes on the internet, more and more mortgage lenders are beginning to leverage digital marketing tools to attract, convert, and retain clients online.

These days, virtually all companies understand that they should be measuring and analyzing their app and website activity. With that in mind, the majority of businesses who find or do business online are using web analytics software to track visitors and users. In fact, 68 percent of the top 1 million websites and 88.5 percent of the top 10,000 websites use Google Analytics to measure the customer experience on their online properties.

Online display ads are often portrayed a panacea for today’s businesses, particularly in comparison to traditional advertising methods. But getting a solid return on digital ads is by no means easy. Consider that the average person is served over 1,700 banner ads per month but only half of them are ever viewed. Meanwhile over 70 percent of marketers fail to target these consumers with behavioral data, leading to lower click rates and conversions.

In the age of “Big Data,” mortgage lenders are realizing that their own data on customers and leads is their most valuable source of marketing insight. Yet knowing is only half the battle—and as it turns out, many lenders are failing to activate their so-called “first-party” data to drive new business.

In today’s digital-first world, technology is crucial to the success of any mortgage lender. From managing online advertising efforts, to cultivating relationships with leads, to testing and analyzing performance, the right mix of tools and solutions can help financial institutions and brokers achieve a variety of goals while maximizing ROI.

Savvy consumers in today’s digital world are constantly pushing the banking industry to better meet their needs. With companies like Amazon raising the bar through a variety of services and products, consumers now demand seamless user experiences and 24/7 access in other industries. What if Amazon started offering mortgages? It’s not as farfetched as it sounds — and if credit unions and banks can’t meet the needs of tomorrow’s homebuyers, they may face stiff competition before long.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that over 86% of banks responded in a HousingWire survey that they now offer a digital mortgage application on their website. However, digitalizing the application represents only a partial improvement to the entire experience of purchasing a home. Consumers still feel inconvenienced and stressed by the complicated process of searching for homes, finding the best rates, and working with a real estate agent and loan officer they can trust.

Five years ago one of my dreams came true: I bought my first home!

As exciting as it may sound, I have to say that I did NOT enjoy the process…

Like most first-time home buyers, I had little guidance on where to start when I made up my mind to move forward with this significant project.

Mauro Repacci, Founder and CEO of NestReady, was no stranger to relocating. Having moved and lived in several different countries over the years, he found himself frustrated with trying to find a home that would fit his budget and provide him a reasonable commute to work. He settled on a neighbourhood in Montreal with no amenities, limited public transportation, and a high price for rent.

I just love how straightforward this article published yesterday by Jason Frazier on Housingwire, is. I really recommend reading it.

This is not plagiarism, simply a list of my favourite pieces of the article I wish every mortgage lender would read.“As has been said by many industry titans, the only constant in business you can count on is change. Yet, too many of you are still holding on to the past, to the “good ol’ days” of this business.”

A few days ago Quicken Loans’ sister company, In-House Realty, announced the acquisition of ForSaleByOwner.com, a calculated move of Rock Holdings, their parent company, towards building their one-stop-shop homebuying solution.