Equifax Launches Innovative Mortgage Solution Combining Credit Reports and Employment Status for Lenders
Equifax Launches an Innovative Mortgage Solution
Equifax® has unveiled a groundbreaking mortgage solution known as The Work Number® Report Indicator, designed to transcend the traditional lending process. This new offering, powered by the Equifax Cloud™, equips lenders with critical insights into both creditworthiness and employment status right from the outset of the mortgage qualification process.
A Unique Solution for Lenders
In an era where the competition in lending is soaring, lenders require a comprehensive understanding of a borrower's financial profile. The Work Number Report Indicator responds to this demand by providing a verified income and employment status through the extensive The Work Number database. This allows mortgage lenders to make quicker, data-driven decisions, enhancing the overall efficiency of their processes.
This advancement is the result of over $1.5 billion investment by Equifax in technology and data transformation. The Equifax Cloud™ serves as a robust platform that integrates data from more than 100 separate sources into one cohesive framework. This intricately woven data fabric not only promotes better governance and regulatory compliance but also enriches lender decision-making through a richer dataset.
Joel Rickman, General Manager at Equifax, emphasized the need for this innovation, stating, “While traditional credit reports provide invaluable insight, we believe that comprehensive data enhances decision-making. Our goal is to offer more visibility into consumer financial health and to promote broader access to homeownership.”
Streamlining the Home Buying Process
The integration of this Report Indicator into the mortgage prequalification phase facilitates several improvements:
1. Competitive Edge: Lenders gain critical insights about employment and income upfront, allowing for informed risk assessments.
2. Cost Efficiency: Lenders can manage verification expenses more effectively, predicting costs associated with the closing process.
3. Expedited Loan Processing: This approach allows for quicker segments of borrowers, resulting in a streamlined workflow.
4. Faster Conversion Pathways: Processing tasks are prioritized earlier, helping lenders formulate accurate debt-to-income calculations sooner.
5. Enhanced Borrower Experience: By minimizing document requests and simplifying approvals, borrowers can explore their loan options without affecting their credit scores, and they can move through the approval process more swiftly.
With the availability of Verified Income and Employment (VOIE) records, borrowers no longer need to present pay stubs or W-2 forms, expediting their journey through the mortgage landscape. In cases where paper documentation is still required, The Work Number helps streamline requests to further ease the process.
The Industry-Leading Solution
The Work Number database is recognized as the premier commercial source of consolidated employment information in the U.S. Within this framework, credentialed verifiers—including mortgage lenders—gain immediate access to essential details about potential borrowers, ensuring a more refined and efficient mortgage process.
As Equifax continues to set the standard for data-driven insights, stakeholders in the mortgage market are now equipped to make better-informed decisions. The Work Number Report Indicator is not merely an enhancement; it represents a paradigm shift in the use of data for mortgage lending.
For further details about this innovative solution, please visit the Equifax website.
Equifax, operating globally with nearly 15,000 employees, is dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to make informed choices through its robust blend of unique data, analytics, and technology.