Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (Fairway) has found success with eMortgage – scaling significantly since their first eNote delivery to Fannie Mae. Thanks to leaders like Teri Pansing, SVP, Corporate Closing, who championed the adoption of eMortgages and eClosings, the company has brought increased efficiency and simplicity to its operations. The driving force behind this move? A commitment to improving borrower experiences and speeding up the loan process.

The journey to adoption

Every big change starts with small steps. For Fairway, this meant allowing individual branches to adopt eNotes at their own pace, giving each one the flexibility to start small by focusing on building trust and showing tangible benefits. Teri ’s recommendation is to start small and grow from there.

Opportunities

The success of remote eClosings opened the door to new borrower demographics, such as younger first-time homebuyers, service members overseas, or those in remote areas, by offering innovative and convenient solutions. Fairway's adoption of eNotes has also streamlined workflows, reducing the time and resources needed for post-closing processes. "There are days that we'll do 400 or so eClosings," said Teri. This efficiency allowed her team to focus on higher-value tasks while maintaining a consistent output.

Overcoming barriers

During the early stages of adoption, some loan officers were skeptical their borrowers would be willing to close digitally. However, Fairway turned these challenges into opportunities for education and collaboration. Through peer engagement and even friendly competition between branches, Fairway was able to build the momentum for adoption to meet borrowers where they are.

Keys to success

Fairway attributes its success with eNotes to a combination of factors:

• Finding the right vendors and developing strong partnerships
• Open transparent communication among internal & external teams
• Clear obtainable goals
• Engaging with team members across different branches to understand their adoption experience

Wins

Fairway has shown how eClosings helped to modernize and streamline their mortgage lending process by breaking down geographical barriers to meet borrowers where they are.

Continued focus

Fairway now completes over 5,000 eClosings per month with just three dedicated staff members. Their focus remains on improving speed, enhancing borrower experiences, and refining the eClosing process for even greater efficiency. By staying curious and adaptable, they aim to lead the industry in digital mortgage solutions.