Refi & Home Improvement Lending Associate

Homewise • Albuquerque, NM

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Mortgage Loan Associate-Refinance and Home Improvement Lending (MLA) is the first conversation many hopeful borrowers will have with Homewise about refinancing their home or financing improvements to it. You're the person who looks at someone's credit, income, and debts, runs the numbers, and gives them an honest answer about where they stand — either by handing them off to a Loan Officer to start an application, or by setting them on a clear path to get there over time.

Working closely with others on the lending team, this role sits at a meaningful intersection: it requires the analytical rigor of credit and ratio analysis and the human skill of having an honest, encouraging conversation with someone who may not be ready yet. At Homewise, the "not yet" conversation is just as important as the "yes" — and you'll be the person who handles both with care.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• 1–3 years of experience in mortgage lending, loan processing, banking, or financial services with refinance and home improvement lending products
• Experience reading and interpreting credit reports required
• Knowledge of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines
• Available to work in-office during Homewise’s core business hours of 8 am-5 pm Monday through Friday

Nice To Haves

• additional coursework or certification in finance, administration, or a related field preferred
• Experience with loan origination systems (LOS) and the STARS platform preferred

Responsibilities

• Conducting initial consultations with prospective borrowers seeking refinance or home improvement financing and gathering the information needed to assess their eligibility.
• Reviewing soft credit reports and analyzing borrower income, employment, assets, and liabilities to evaluate readiness.
• Calculating and evaluating Debt-to-Income, Loan-to-Value, and Combined Loan-to-Value ratios against investor and Homewise guidelines.
• Building personalized action plans for borrowers who don't yet qualify — covering credit improvement, debt reduction, documentation, credit issue resolution, or property-related steps — and walking them through next steps.
• Forwarding qualified borrowers and their supporting documentation to Loan Officers for a smooth, well-supported handoff to application.
• Documenting every borrower interaction, assessment, and decision accurately and in a timely manner in Homewise's designated systems.
• Maintaining current working knowledge of Fannie Mae and Homewise lending guidelines, and consistently applying core mortgage concepts (DTI, LTV/CLTV, income documentation, credit score requirements, occupancy, refinance program eligibility) to ensure accurate and compliant files.
• Ensuring full compliance with all applicable regulations, policies, and procedures in every pre-qualification.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED