SitusAMC adds mortgage underwriting to outsource offerings

SitusAMC is adding loan underwriting as part of the outsourced loan fulfillment support services it provides across the origination spectrum.

The new licensed offering will provide underwriting services for agency, home equity, jumbo, non-qualified mortgage and debt service coverage ratio programs.

“Given today’s challenges in a rapidly changing mortgage space, it is extremely difficult for a lender to strike the right balance in terms of priorities,” Jon Gerretsen, SitusAMC managing director and head of credit services, said in a press release. “We work with many of the country’s top lenders, and for most of our clients, the current focus is on maintaining profitability and finding the right operating model while not compromising world-class customer experience.”

Lenders have turned to the outsourcing of various functions in times of tight margins in order to save money; 41% said they planned to use third parties to maintain operational efficiencies and protect shrinking profits in an Altisource Portfolio Solutions survey last year.

Outsourcing also allows lenders to move into unfamiliar lines of business at a lower cost. They then can gain expertise and at some point choose to bring the work in-house.

“Current market conditions increase demands on product expansion, service levels, pricing, as well as staffing,” Gerretsen added in a follow up comment. “We provide an experienced, reliable, licensed underwriting team to support lenders with all of these challenges.”

The new services build upon those SitusAMC gained following the acquisition of Assimilate Solutions in January 2021. Assimilate offered mortgage and title knowledge process outsourcing and information technology outsourcing. The deal was SitusAMC’s fifth acquisition in five months.

“The acquisition of Assimilate brought us into the fulfillment services component space and adding licensed underwriting is the resulting new growth of origination/fulfillment component support,” Gerretsen said.

SitusAMC also has deep underwriting experience in non-agency programs and provides third-party review services for private label mortgage-backed securitizations.

Chad Berreth was named senior director of sales at SitusAMC to steer bringing this offering to lenders. Previously, Berreth held leadership roles at a number of companies including Accenture Mortgage Cadence and Stewart Lender Services.

“Our expanded offering enables lenders to add new channels, scale effectively, and take on unprecedented volume levels while improving their margins, lowering recruiting and training costs, and staying compliant,” Berreth said.