2012 Loan Originator Survey – Technology

Loan originators are primarily Microsoft users, though they switch to Apple products when utilizing mobile devices. But few originators actually perform any loan origination functions on mobile devices. Pricing engines and e-mail are the prominent sources of interest rates for originators.

Personal Computer Operating Systems
Windows was the primary operating system of 94 percent of the group, while Apple’s operating system was used by just 4 percent.

Microsoft also dominated the Internet browser market, with Internet Explorer being the primary Internet browser of 77 percent of those surveyed. Google’s Chrome browser is used by 12 percent of originators, while Firefox’s Mozilla had a 7.2 percent share.

Smartphone Platforms
But the tables turn when it comes to mobile devices.

Nearly half of originators — 46 percent — indicated that they use an Apple iPhone.

Google’s Android trailed with a 30 percent share. Blackberry users accounted for another 16 percent.

Just 2 percent of respondents to this question indicated that their phones utilize a Windows operating system.

Smartphone Use in Originations
Smartphones have not seen mass adoption for being utilized in the mortgage production process. Just over a quarter of originators indicated that they use smart phones to perform originator functions.

But what wasn’t likely reflected in the survey is the degree to which originators use mobile devices to communicate with prospective borrowers through phone calls, e-mails and text messages.

Tablets
Tablet devices are used by 40 percent of originators.

Among tablet users, 87 percent were iPad owners. Android accounted for 11 percent of the tablet market among originators.

Tablet owners who used the devices for origination functions represented 38 percent of originators with tablets.

Another 12 percent rely on rate sheets, and 18 percent indicated the Internet is their primary source of pricing information.

The two biggest categories were e-mail and pricing engines, each which garnered a 22 percent share.