Borrowers are doing more research, seeking out increasingly digital experiences, and trusting their gut more than ever before. But, believe it or not, they’re relying on much more than just five-star reviews.

The mortgage professionals winning their business have figured out that closing more loans starts with understanding what borrowers actually want from the relationship.

Fortunately, some key borrower insights pulled directly from recent industry research provide great jumping-off points for your next conversation, follow-up, or pitch.

Why Do Borrower Insights Matter More Than Ever for Mortgage Professionals?

Today’s market is notoriously challenging, characterized by tight affordability, elevated rates, and record-low first-time buyer share. As a result, qualified clients are shopping harder than ever, and every initial conversation could become a competition with the mortgage pro down the block.

So, closing more loans now depends on truly understanding your client, addressing what they actually care about, and earning their trust before someone else does.

Fortunately, there are a few key borrower insights that can provide some concrete places to start.

What Do Borrowers Actually Want from Their Mortgage Professional?

Recent data points to five priorities that consistently separate the mortgage professionals that clients pick from the ones they pass over. And each one comes with an action item you can use on your very next call.

Clarity, Customization, and Responsiveness

According to a 2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, the providers pulling ahead offered high levels of transparency, tailored products, and responsive support. On the other hand, borrowers were wary of hidden fees, vague cost breakdowns, unrealistic rate promises, and high-pressure sales tactics.

You can apply these borrower insights immediately by:

• Walking through fees, costs, rates, and processes in your next call.
• Sending a written timeline before the client even thinks to ask for one.
• Setting or auditing customer communication standards – for example, ensuring all inquiries have a response within 24 hours.

Advice and Guidance

The 2025 J.D. Power U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study found that 79% of customers give top scores to lenders who provide useful guidance or advice. Those clients are 2.3 times more likely to come back for their next loan.

Even better, satisfaction scores jump 32 points when you connect with a client at the start of their journey, before they’ve talked to anyone else.

You can apply these borrower insights immediately by:

• Offering no-pressure, introductory conversations to anyone who reaches out.
• Building helpful resources (a “Homebuying 101” guide, for example) that you can text or email to a lead within minutes.
• Prioritizing clear, helpful, and personalized advice and guidance in every client interaction.

A Unique Approach for First-Time Buyers

Per the ICE May 2025 Mortgage Monitor Report, first-time buyers are putting down significantly less than repeat buyers. They may also lean heavily on gift funds, FHA loans, and down payment assistance programs.

On the other side of the coin, they tend to have more flexibility than other buyers. Per The Mortgage Reports’ Summer 2025 First-Time Home Buyer Survey, 43% settled for a different area than they originally wanted, 23.5% bought a fixer-upper, and 73% negotiated seller concessions.

You can apply these borrower insights immediately by:

• Help borrowers study the various down payment assistance programs in your market.
• Building a glossary of plain-English explanations for confusing financial terms like escrow, PMI, points, and rate locks.
• Suggesting advantageous alternatives, when appropriate, to first-time buyers, specifically.

Digital Convenience with Clarity

The 2025 J.D. Power U.S. Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study found that comfort with AI is high overall – 54% of customers say they’re “completely comfortable” with its use during origination. But 71% of those borrowers also said it’s “very important” that they receive disclosure when AI is being used in their file.

While these tools are incredibly powerful, always double-check your organization’s AI compliance policies. It’s better to be safe (and compliant) than sorry!

For mortgage professionals, this opens up a real opportunity. Essentially, with digital tools handling the friction and busy work, you can spend more time on higher value tasks, like improved communication and transparency.

You can apply these borrower insights immediately by:

• Automating tasks like status updates, then layering in personal texts at the big milestones.
• Templating quick, personalized-sounding emails to maintain communication.
• Auditing the use of AI tools throughout your workflow and determining how to clearly disclose its use to clients.

Increased Options

Today’s market pressures have pushed some borrowers to look well beyond the standard 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. In fact, HomeLight’s 2025 Lender Insights & Predictions survey found that 75% of lenders are seeing more demand for alternative products like interest-only loans, ARMs, and non-qualified mortgages. Non-qualified mortgages alone hit 5% of originations in 2024, up from less than 3% in 2020.

Essentially, today’s borrowers want choices, and they want a mortgage professional who can walk them through each one.

You can apply these borrower insights immediately by:

• Building a “menu” of products you can offer to clients, complete with clear explanations and insight into when each might fit.
• Walking through the principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI) plus homeowners association (HOA) costs in every scenario so clients can compare apples to apples.
• Covering concepts like buydowns and adjustable-rate mortgages up front so the long-term picture is clear from day one.

Wrapping Up: Turning Borrower Insights into Action

The mortgage clients you’re competing for in 2026 have done their homework. They’ve read the testimonials, compared the rates, and probably already filled out an application or two before they ever reached you.

But it’s not just five-star reviews they’re looking for. They truly want transparency, real guidance, patience with first-time buyers, smart use of digital tools, and the willingness to deliver honest answers.

And the good news is that most of these borrower insights don’t necessitate a new hire or increased marketing budget! Instead, you can just make a point to show up to every conversation with a clear understanding of your borrower and their highest goals.

And, as a result, you might just close a few more loans this year.

Key Takeaways

• Today’s borrowers look beyond rate to pick mortgage professionals based on trust, transparency, and clear communication.
• Acting as a strategic guide can drive strong results. Top-rated pros see significantly more repeat business, benefiting both the borrower and their mortgage professional.
• First-time buyers need patience, plain-English explanations, and deep familiarity with down payment assistance programs in your market.
• Digital tools should free up your time for the human moments, with clear disclosure when AI is part of the workflow.
• Borrowers want options, and they want a professional who can walk them through each one with confidence.