More Than a Vendor: Informative Research and a Top IMB’s Success

About The Lender

Founded in the early 2000s, this top-25 independent mortgage bank (IMB) provides a wide range of home financing solutions to support borrowers at every stage of the homeownership journey. With a national presence and a servicing portfolio valued in the billions, the lender operates both direct-to-consumer and retail lending channels, offering competitive products and pricing backed by strong investor relationships.

The company emphasizes financial empowerment by helping borrowers become mortgage-ready through education, technology, and personalized guidance. Its longstanding commitment to innovation and operational efficiency supports its broader mission of expanding access to affordable, sustainable homeownership.

The Challenge

As a trusted partner for nearly a decade, Informative Research (IR) has continuously worked to help a top-25 independent mortgage bank (IMB) optimize costs and improve efficiency. In response to the rising cost of consumer data reports in recent years, IR conducted an in-depth analysis of the lender’s credit process and discovered millions of dollars were being spent annually on credit reports for borrowers who didn’t meet lending criteria. A closer look at the data revealed that excessive hard credit pulls, particularly within the Consumer Direct division, drove up costs while increasing borrower exposure to trigger leads. This not only put pressure on the lender’s bottom line but also made it harder to retain potential borrowers before they completed the loan process.

“Our goal has always been to qualify as many borrowers as possible so that they can achieve the dream of homeownership. At the same time, evolving market conditions have inspired us to adjust our strategy and find new ways to balance that mission with the realities of the rising cost of credit,” notes the lender’s chief operating officer. “But when IR showed us the data and the sheer amount we were spending on reports for borrowers who weren’t eligible, it became clear we needed a new strategy to control costs while maintaining our commitment to helping borrowers become mortgage-ready.”

The Solution

This IMB and IR share a long-standing relationship that goes beyond traditional vendor-client dynamics. Since first partnering in 2015, IR has worked closely with the lender to develop innovative solutions tailored to the lender’s unique needs.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, IR collaborated with the IMB to develop a configurable, rules-based credit waterfall that allowed the company to significantly reduce unnecessary credit pulls while maintaining a seamless borrower experience. By implementing soft credit checks – bolstered by proprietary decision logic as an initial step, the lender gained the ability to assess borrower eligibility without incurring the higher costs associated with a full tri-merge report.

Leveraging borrower data and historical trends, the new process also helped minimize borrower exposure to trigger leads, strengthening retention rates. In addition, it provided a more efficient and cost-effective workflow that integrated smoothly into the lender’s existing loan origination system (LOS), Encompass® by ICE Mortgage Technology®, through ICE’s Encompass Partner Connect™ (EPC) API. This integration enables real-time data exchange, automated decisioning, and a smoother workflow within the existing Encompass environment. Separately, IR’s solution also integrates with the lender’s point-of-sale (POS) platform, ensuring a streamlined borrower experience from prequalification through loan application.

“We analyzed two years of credit data in addition to borrower behavior trends and identified opportunities where this lender was spending money unnecessarily,” said Shannon Santos, EVP of Data Solutions at Informative Research. “By configuring our decision platform to their desired process, we helped implement a smarter, more cost-effective approach to credit.”

The initial rollout in the Consumer Direct division yielded such strong results that the company expanded the solution across its entire organization, including its Retail Lending division.

The Results

Since implementing Informative Research’s credit solution, the IMB has realized millions of dollars in cost savings, a result that has had a direct impact on the company’s ability to keep mortgage pricing competitive while ensuring borrowers continue to receive a high level of service.

“We’ve saved millions, and the numbers speak for themselves,” said the COO. “IR helped us identify inefficiencies and implement a solution that delivers real, bottom-line impact.”

The streamlined process has improved borrower retention by reducing exposure to trigger leads, which has helped keep more applicants within the pipeline.

“This method helps us build borrower trust and keep them engaged, so by the time they reach underwriting, they’re already committed to staying with us,” explained the COO.

Beyond cost savings and retention improvements, the partnership between the lender and IR has reinforced the value of working with a provider that prioritizes transparency, innovation, and client success over short-term revenue gains. IR acts as a strategic advisor, helping identify opportunities to cut costs and optimize operations, even when it means IR would not capture additional revenue.

“IR isn’t just a vendor. They’re a true partner,” said the COO. “They’ve consistently helped us lower costs and improve efficiencies, even when it meant they weren’t profiting from additional transactions. That level of commitment is rare in this industry.”

With IR’s credit waterfall, AccountChek® and verification solutions now deeply embedded in its operations, the IMB continues to see substantial financial and operational benefits. The lender has not only improved efficiency but also strengthened its borrower pipeline, reduced unnecessary expenses and maintained its reputation for providing an exceptional borrower experience.

As market conditions continue to evolve, this IMB and IR remain committed to identifying new ways to drive efficiency and cost savings, ensuring the lender remains a competitive force in the mortgage industry.

“We’re in this for the long haul,” said the COO. “IR has been instrumental in helping us stay ahead, and we know they’ll continue to support us as we navigate the ever-changing mortgage landscape.”

About Informative Research 

Informative Research, a Stewart company, is a leading technology platform that delivers data-driven solutions to the lending community. The solutions provider currently serves mortgage companies, banks, and lenders throughout the United States. The company is recognized for streamlining the loan process with its straightforward service model, progressive solutions, and cutting-edge technology. Informative Research’s four key pillars are: Customer Acquisition, Risk and Retention, Upsell/Cross-sell and Custom Data Analytics, which underscores their commitment to excellence and leadership in the data solution space.