April 2025
The Sente Special: Quarterly Newsletter
INDUSTRY NEWS
Take action today! Trigger Leads bill back in Congress
The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in April. In short, the bill will eliminate the abusive calling and texting to customers that occurs when their mortgage credit is pulled. It protects consumers from companies that will use trigger leads to misrepresent themselves, attempt to confuse or deceive recent applicants, or inundate them with phone calls, texts, emails, or direct mail.
Please take a moment to act on behalf of our customers and our industry. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) makes it easy to communicate with your elected officials. Go to https://www.mba.org/advocacy-and-policy/mortgage-action-alliance-maa
BRANCH NEWS
The Golden Team hosted a Lunch + Learn with GA Realty in February. It was a great session with quite a few Realtors in attendance. We distributed plastic business card holders with a sticker on the back, which they could display on their desks.
DEPARTMENT UPDATES
Accounting
The Accounting Department completed and reported the 2025 business personal property renditions to each county where we have an office this year. Renditions are used by the counties to assess taxes that will be due later in the year on business personal property. Branches can help save costs if Accounting is kept informed throughout the year of any acquisitions and dispositions of furniture or fixtures.
Our next major departmental event occurs in late summer, when we have our annual financial audit.
Questions? Contact the Accounting team at accounting@sentemortgage.com.
Capital Markets/Secondary
In Q1 Product Specialist Nancy McAlpine presented three broker products that we are very excited about. These programs will provide marketing and sales opportunities for clients with investments; clients who are in a low-rate first mortgage but would like to access their equity; and clients who cannot meet agency income requirements.
The products were introduced in the Sales & Operations meetings (linked below) on:
DSCR: January 8
HELOC and fixed-rate second liens: March 5
Champions Funding’s No-Ratio loan product: April 9
Questions? Contact the Broker Scenario Desk at broker@sentemortgage.com with any questions about a potential brokered opportunity.
Concierge
Now is a good time to review your pipeline. If a file has become stagnant and it is no longer proceeding, please complete the Adverse Request.
The Adverse Request is located on the blue shortcut section of the Borrower Summary || Enhanced Screen. Instructions on how to complete an Adverse Request are located within Ask Sente.
Spending a few minutes reviewing your pipeline helps us all stay compliant and keeps your pipeline tidy. Remember to check loans in the Active, Leads, and Prospect loan folders.
Questions? Please submit a ticket to the Concierge team at concierge@sentemortgage.com, and we will be more than happy to assist you.
Human Resources
As a part of their commitment to helping us navigate the ever-changing market conditions, our team at Strategic Retirement Partners (SRP) Austin is reaching out with some guidance.
SRP’s Thriving Through Market Volatility flyer provides insights into how to navigate the market and tips to manage risk during times of uncertainty. Their Missing Out on the Market flyer focuses on staying the course through market downturns and offers guidance on how to do this.
While no one can predict the future of the market, SRP wants to reassure us that our dedicated team of retirement planning consultants is always closely monitoring these trends and are ready to support and guide us by answering any questions or concerns. Alerus retirement plan participants can reach out to our team at SRP with questions or to set up a meeting with one of our retirement consultants at support@srpretire.com or at 512-222-4174.
Questions? Contact Human Resources at HR@sentemortgage.com.
IT Department
Sente Donates Laptops to the SAFE Alliance
Sente is proud to support the SAFE Alliance in Austin by donating 32 used laptops to their organization. The SAFE Alliance provides services and support for survivors of abuse, exploitation, and domestic violence–helping individuals and families find safety, healing, and hope. We’re honored to contribute to their mission and make a positive impact in our community.
Mandatory: Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Setup for Microsoft 365
To strengthen the security of our systems and protect sensitive data, all Sente Mortgage users are now required to enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) for their Microsoft 365 accounts.
MFA enhances security by requiring two or more verification steps when logging in. For example, after entering your password, you may be prompted to enter a code sent to your phone via text or an authentication app.
We will provide step-by-step instructions to guide you through the setup process. Please be on the lookout for this information and complete the setup promptly.
Questions? Contact IT Support at support@sentemortgage.com.
Marketing
5-Star Reviews
When deciding where to eat out, which appliance store is best, who has the best reputation for washing windows, etc., we all turn to reviews on Google or other search engines. The order of our choices likely matches the order of Google’s rankings. Google will always search local listings first, so it’s important for local businesses’ Google profiles to be verified for their location and optimized by having a complete profile.
This is no different for our Mortgage Bankers.
A distinctive service Sente Marketing provides is capturing and promoting 5-star reviews. At loan closing, borrowers are automatically sent an email asking them to leave a 5-star review on Google. These reviews are then programmed to appear in real time on our Mortgage Bankers’ websites, where they are prominently displayed near the top of the home page.
A 5-star review wraps up the complete 5-star home financing experience that Sente is known for.
Questions? Contact Marketing at communications@sentemortgage.com.
Servicing
In Q1 Sente completed our largest servicing acquisition to-date. Due to the complexities of transferring servicing from one sub-servicer to another, the transfer process typically takes 60-90 days. We closed on the agreement in late January and on April 1, we welcomed approximately 500 new customers to Sente! We continue to prioritize growing our servicing portfolio through new originations but will also review opportunities strategically as they are presented in the marketplace.
Questions? Contact Servicing at servicing@sentemortgage.com.
Underwriting
Rebuilt Underwriting Resource Library
In Q1 Sente Underwriting prioritized rebuilding our internal underwriting resource library. Matrices and articles were consolidated and revamped to improve ease of use. Our efforts resulted in individual agency-specific resource documents addressing common scenario topics and highlighting Sente application of guides.
DU Enhancements Version 12.0 Release (January 2025): Great news for customers with no credit scores or thin credit!
Loans for Borrowers Without Credit Scores
Borrowers with no credit scores
- No limitations on loan purpose or occupancy if the borrower has no credit score but has at least one credit account or installment account reported on credit.
- If borrower has no credit score, no credit accounts, and no credit limitations on a 1-4 unit primary residence, all borrowers must occupy the property for purchase or rate-term refinance loans.
One borrower does not have a credit score but a co-borrower does
- No limitations on loan purpose or occupancy if the borrower with the credit score is contributing 50% or less of the qualifying income; DU will continue to require non-traditional credit history for each borrower without a credit score.
New Enhancements Now in Effect
- Expanded risk eligibility enhancements to help qualify borrowers. Borrowers who did not qualify for financing in the past may now be eligible.
- Borrowers with thin credit or no credit scores.
- Variable income (bonus, overtime, commission, variable hours) no longer viewed in the risk assessment.
- First-time homebuyers now considered a mitigating factor in the risk assessment due to positive loan performance.
Questions? Contact senteunderwriting@sentemortgage.com. We welcome your feedback and suggestions on the materials and topics that matter most to you.
Employee Spotlights
Q: How long have you been at Sente?
A: 10 years
Q: Where are you located?
A: Austin, Texas
Q: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career as a Closer?
A: My awesome manager, Julie Bryant! She invited me to apply. I had never worked in the mortgage industry before, but I enjoyed it from the beginning–and I am still here all these years later.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Sente?
A: The people.
Q: Which Sente Value do you reflect on as the most important?
A: Always Do the Right Thing
Q: How would you describe your job to a group of 5-year-olds?
A: I get the papers ready for people to sign to move into their new house!
Q: What is your favorite thing about your job?
A: Knowing I am helping someone move into their new home.
Q: Do you have any pets? If so, what type and what are their names?
A: Yes, my baby boy, Sachi. He is a 7-year-old Yorkie.
Q: Where is your favorite place to vacation?
A: Well, I haven’t been on one in awhile LOL, but anywhere tropical. Mexico!
Q: What activities or hobbies do you have outside of work?
A: I love to take long walks and hikes with my dog. I love live music and concerts. I started doing cross-stitch during Covid–I’m still doing this and getting a lot better.
Q: How long have you been at Sente?
A: This December it will be 5 years
Q: Where are you located?
A: I live in Falcon, Colorado, about 15 minutes east of Colorado Springs. I have lived in Colorado my whole life, except for those few years while my husband was stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Q: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in mortgage compliance?
A: There weren’t a lot of jobs near the base in Fort Bragg. My sister-in-law was good friends with a branch manager who helped me get a job at Household Finance/Beneficial as an account executive doing first mortgage home loans at 12% for borrowers (I now look back and hope those borrowers got out of those loans). At the time, I knew nothing about mortgages, and I failed my North Carolina licensing test twice. I did that for a few years and was even one of their top three producers in the south region
One day a processor got mad at me for a loan I did and said, “If you only knew how to do my job.” I was like, heck, let’s try processing, and I processed loans for a few years. Then I went into underwriting, then I decided to do closing, and then post-closing. In post-closing, I worked for a company that did reviews on the GSE and PMI company loans in default after the crash in 2008. (And yes, on every loan I reviewed during those years, I would always be scared my name would be there as a processor, underwriter, etc.) Seeing all those loans and how things were handled really sparked my interest in Compliance. I felt like I had the background and knowledge of the industry to make an impact by ensuring the company could still do the right thing for borrowers but be compliant at the same time. I have been doing Compliance now for 17 years and love it.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Sente?
A: The PEOPLE! We have such a great team and executive team here at Sente. I have worked for a lot of companies, and I can say Sente is the best one!
Q: Which Sente Value do you reflect on as the most important?
A: Care So Much We Make a Difference. I have worked with mortgage companies where I have seen so many co-workers just clock in and clock out, and they could care less about the job they are doing or even try to make a difference. But Sente employees care, and it shows. I have been told many compliments from state examiners that Sente and our processes show we care.
Q: How would you describe your job to a group of 5-year-olds?
A: Probably the easiest way to explain to a 5-year-old would be a police officer, but I sit at a desk and not in a car. I make sure everyone is following the rules for a home, and if they don’t, I have to write a ticket.
Q: What is your favorite thing about your job?
A: Compliance is always changing, which I love. There are always changes in the state/federal regulations and GSEs that keep me on my toes.
Q: Do you have any pets? If so, what type and what are their names?
A: We have two goldendoodles. Their names are Tedy and Bruschi. My husband is from New England, and we named them after one of our favorite players on the New England Patriots.
Q: Where is your favorite place to vacation?
A: Charleston/Isle of the Palms, South Carolina. Being from Colorado, I had never been to a beach, and Isle of the Palms was the first beach I went to. It was also the first beach we took all three of our kids too. We try to visit every year or two.
Q: What activities or hobbies do you have outside of work?
A: Our family rides UTVs and ATVs in the winter and summer, which we really enjoy.
WELCOME TO NEW HIRES
Jessica Elizondo, Mortgage Banker
Nicole Green, Director of Marketing & Communications
Gerald Moore, Mortgage Banker
Scott Williams, Servicing Portfolio Mortgage Banker
SECOND QUARTER EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES
Julie Bryant, Director of Closing
Diana Dadoly, Chief Financial Officer
Jenny Nip, Mortgage Banker
Jessica Smith, Loan Accountant
Bradly Cook, Processing Manager
Chris Garcia, Mortgage Banker
Dustin Lovings, Concierge Specialist
Kenzie Lowegard, Mortgage Banker
Jill Horne, Loan Processor
Julie Beatty, Quality Control Specialist
Jim Greene, Director of Servicing
Jennifer Rodriguez, Mortgage Banker
Lindsay Ippolito, Loan Processor
Sonia Onofre, Production Assistant
Victoria Bowden, Mortgage Banker
Sarah Carter, Mortgage Banker
Clay Christy, Branch Manager/Mortgage Banker
Corey Christy, Production Partner
James Sineath, Mortgage Banker
Karen Spellman, Production Assistant