Press
New White Paper Suggests Real Estate Services As a CU Core Offering
CONTACT:
Margaret Blankers
MJB Public Relations Group, LLC
913.385.2222 or 866.714.7041
margaret@mjbpr.com
Scottsdale, Ariz. (June 25, 2012) – The benefits of establishing real estate-related services as a core credit union product are impressive, says a new white paper from CU Realty Services, LLC. Titled “Making the Shift: Helping Credit Unions Establish Real Estate Services as a Core Product Offering,” the paper offers best practices collected from some of the most successful credit unions using their program, guiding other institutions looking for similar results.
The Scottsdale, Arizona-based CUSO has spent the last decade assisting credit unions nationwide in incorporating real estate support services for their members, resulting in increased purchase mortgage volumes.
“Our most important discovery over the last decade has really been about perspective,” said CU Realty Services Chief Executive Officer, Mike Corn. “When credit unions look at the home-buying decision cycle as a lead channel, and design a core program to capture homebuyers’ business when they are ready to begin their search – instead of after – everything changes. The credit union is seen as a full-service institution by their members. More members turn to them for help. More members stay with them for their mortgage. And as a result, they can significantly increase their purchase mortgage business – some by as much as 40 percent!”
To successfully incorporate this type of program and achieve similar levels of success, the white paper recommends credit unions follow several key best practices, including:
- Executive level buy-in – As a first step, all programs need executive level buy-in to reap maximum rewards. This can make a huge difference in how well credit union managers and employees embrace the program, and work to achieve institutional goals.
- Dedicated marketing resources – Credit unions should build awareness of the program through a variety of mediums, with the goal of becoming first point of contact when members are ready to buy or sell a home. Additionally, credit unions should create an online real estate resource center where members can investigate and interact with the program.
- Relationships with Realtors® – Because Realtors have critical influence on homebuyers’ and sellers’ behavior today, credit unions should work to develop their own trusted network of agents. Not only will having these relationships better support their member community, but they will also reinforce the credit union’s existing mortgage lead channel.
The white paper also demonstrates the payoff – in both financial and emotional terms – for credit unions that make real estate services a core product offering.
Last year, CU Realty’s credit union partners collectively captured 528 purchase mortgages through their traditional mortgage-related marketing efforts. But when they implemented CU Realty’s marketing tools and focused on real estate services as a core credit union product, these same credit unions gained an additional 40 percent of purchase mortgages.
Additionally, serving as a valued partner in helping members’ achieve the dream of home ownership, credit unions further build their members’ trust – long a hallmark of the credit union experience – and become their choice as Personal Financial Institution (PFI).
CU Realty Services’ new white paper is the second in a series on the benefits of offering real estate services. Both reports can be found online at www.curealty.com/whitepapers.
About CU Realty Services, LLC
CU Realty Services provides real estate services to credit unions across the nation, helping them increase their purchase mortgage business. Launched in 2001, the company has worked with more than 100 credit unions and thousands of their members. CU Realty’s range of web-based tools helps homebuyers find homes, research neighborhoods, calculate costs and connect to experienced real estate agents. For more information, call Tina Powers, (800) 203-9014, ext. 104, or visit www.curealty.com.