The In’s And Out’s Of Mortgage Websites As A Loan Officer By Rob Lawrence At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

One of the most profitable low-cost investments you can make in your business is to have a mortgage website that not only creates your company’s online presence, but also up-sells the customer on your products and services. But finding a website provider that does the job effectively is not always easy.

To create a mortgage website you have three choices:

1. Go it alone and design it yourself.

2. Hire a web design firm to custom build a mortgage site for you.

3. Use a ready-made instant website from a design company that specializes just in the mortgage industry.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Yes, you can create a website yourself from scratch and maintain full control over is, but how much time will this really take? How professional will your homemade site look? And, if it takes you 30 to 40 hours to create the website and get it up and running, this is time taken away from your existing business and potentially lost sales.

The total cost to design your website, isn’t just the site itself, but also the “opportunity cost” of losing your time. Not to mention, the frustration of dealing with unfamiliar technology.

If you decide to hire a firm to design your site as a custom build, then you should know that these services come at a hefty price—usually 2 to 3 thousand dollars upfront and an ongoing maintenance and hosting fee. Think about it, every time you want to update or change the site, you will be charged another $100 to $150 for design work. Not only have you lost control over the site, but the costs can quickly mount.

The third choice is to use one of the ready-made instant mortgage website templates put out by design companies that specialize just in the mortgage industry. These people have already done the work for you, and it’s simply a matter of choosing the types of interactive features you want to put on your website. You can even modify and update your website yourself, right through your web browser. If you can type a letter, you can manage your website. It’s that easy!

Things such as having an online 1003 loan application, current mortgage rates, bond index, feedback form, etc. are all features that will enhance your online image. In today’s world, these aren’t just nice extras to have--they are necessities.

Consumers today expect a certain level of professionalism, especially if they are going to “trust” your mortgage company and do business with you. With all the fly-by-night firms out there, you can’t afford to take a chance with a lackluster amateur image. This is especially true if you deal with customers mostly over the phone and NOT in person. The website may be the only chance they get to “meet” you.

Before committing to any web design company, here are some things to consider:

* What is the upfront cost to get started?

* What is the ongoing monthly cost?

* Who pays for the hosting of the site and is that included?

* Who owns the rights to the website?

* Can I use my own website domain name or do I have to use yours?

* What interactive features do you offer?

* Do these interactive features cost extra or are they included in the price?

* Can the website download a 1003 application directly into Calyx point, so I don’t have to retype the information?

* Are the mortgage rates and bond information updated in real-time on the site?

* How many other sites similar to mine are already out there?

* Do you offer just one type of mortgage website or do you have a number of choices?

* How do I update my website?

* Can I update the website myself via the Internet or do I have to have one of your designers do it?

* How do I do this, if I am “computer illiterate”?

* Do you have a free trial so I can test out your services to see if I like them?

* Do I have to get approval from my mortgage net branch before I can put a website up?

* What happens if I change mortgage companies?

These are just some of the questions you need to ask no matter which service you choose. Yes, designing a website yourself gives you the ultimate control over the look and feel of the site, but it comes with a price. Since most mortgage company sites are the same and have the same types of features (online application, rate watch list, bond info, etc.), why not use the services from a company that has already done the work for you? Not only will the site be up and running quicker, but you’ll have a lot less headaches in the long run.

Bottom line, my recommendation is keep it simple, and use one of the existing mortgage website tools out there.

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