Between extra staff to brick-and-mortar investments, lenders saw success giving LOs more support and tools to improve their production. iStock illustration

Lenders looking to grow their residential loan programs are leaning on broad product offerings and the ability to maintain competitive rates – and giving their loan originators extra support.

Banker & Tradesman analyzed loan-origination data from the final two quarters of 2025, largely after interest rates dropped to comparable levels to today’s, to identify the loan originators that had grown their origination the most in the new interest rate environment.

Workers Credit Union is home to the loan originator who saw the greatest percentage increase in number of residential real estate loans originated. James Hirbour saw a 137 percent increase in his output from the third and fourth quarter of 2024 to 2025.

He joined the credit union in December 2024 after previously working for Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union for over 10 years. At Workers CU, Hirbour said, he felt an increased level of support. This included the credit union building out a staff around him.

“The biggest thing for me is the support that they have given me, the operational support,” Hirbour said. “We’ve been competitive with interest rates. The difference between where I was before and Workers is they built a team around me and gave me the ability to be able to close the high amount of volume of loans that I could because of the support staff that I had. I credit the support staff, from the very top all the way down to my personal assistant.”

M&T Bank had two loan originators in the ranks of Massachusetts’ fastest-growing. After its acquisition of Peoples United Bank in 2022, M&T slowly grew its Massachusetts LO team from two loan originators to a current staff of 25.

The $208 billion-asset bank had a difficult challenge as it was making inroads in a market where local lenders are prominent. M&T made a concerted effort to hire experienced loan originators with experience in Greater Boston, and was aided by the departure of First Republic Bank from the wholesale mortgage lending market when it arrived in Massachusetts three years ago.

“There was a talent pool that we were able to bring on board,” M&T Bank Eastern Massachusetts Regional Manager Cathy Pallin said. “It’s probably one of the best sales teams that I’ve been associated with in my 35 years in the business.”

Physical Footprint Offers Advantage

Chase Bank loan originator Tedi Tijan also landed in the ranks of Massachusetts’ fastest-growing LOs last fall and winter. In an industry that can be defined by the number of loans or volume you produce, actually sitting down and listening to customers can be valuable, according to Tijan.

“We just have to listen, make sure that you peel the onion back,” he said. “What’s the driving force? What’s really the root of it? What’s the client really looking at?”

Chase has been active in building up its branch network and maintaining a physical presence in markets. The bank now has 92 branches in Massachusetts and is aiming to have 100 by the end of the year.

Having a location to meet clients can still be valuable for loan originators, Tijan said, even in a world where both everyday banking and the homebuying process has become a largely digital process, especially at larger lenders.

“A lot of companies don’t have that ability,” he said. “I think you see more companies are trying to have the brick-and-mortar location. Let’s sit down. Let’s chat. Let’s put a strategy in place. Having a brick-and-mortar location is phenomenal. The brand presence that the firm has, it’s huge.”

Uncertainty, Volatility to Create Challenges

Three months into 2026, it’s still unclear if hopes that interest rate volatility would be left in the previous year will come true. Rates have been trending downward, sitting at 6 percent as of March 5, the most recent date for which data was available, according to Freddie Mac. At the same time in 2025, rates stood at 6.63 percent.

But this year, the United States’ and Israel’s new war on Iran has injected a huge amount of uncertainty into the global economy.

“I don’t think anybody really knows what’s happening with the rates,” Tijan said. “I sometimes will say to a client, if the outline makes sense, and if you like the neighborhood, you’ve negotiated the home, the price, the outline – you can always refinance.”

With rates at risk of fluctuating amid fears of international economic shocks, thanks to spikes in global oil and natural gas prices, loan originators will have their work cut out for them.

In a volatile market, training and communication is crucial according to M&T Bank’s Pallin. Additionally, a deep bench of product offerings at a lender can allow its loan originators to still be able to produce, she said.

“Ongoing training is critical right now,” she said. “This type of market, you have to have a lot of different tools. I really believe in a market that is as tough as this, you have to know your products and be able to accommodate all customers. Knowledge is power in this market. We’re working on – but we’re not there yet – with trigger leads through our branches to capture existing customers.”

With mortgage rates significantly below where they were in spring 2025, expectations are high for more lending activity this spring. iStock illustration

Expectations for More Activity in Spring

Some in the industry say the refinance market could be active in 2026, Workers CU’s Hirbour said. And if rates trend downwards over the spring, that could get even more homeowners who’ve been thinking of selling to finally pull the trigger.

That extra inventory is especially needed in a state such as Massachusetts. The combined number of single-family homes and condominiums available for sale statewide peaked at 14,185 in September 2025, over 36 percent below the same month in 2015 and 25 percent below September 2019.

Sam Lattof

“I think it could be a big refinance market if the rates do continue moving lower,” Hirbour said. “A lot of those people have been on the fence for a while, and I think they’re all itching to do something. Whether it’s they grew out of their home, they’re looking up for a bigger home, they’re looking at downsize or looking to relocate.”

While the start of the year is typically slow – and the cold January and February weather only added to the lack of movement – competition has begun to slowly increase, Hirbour said.

“We’re starting to see multiple offers on properties, some over asking,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a strong year for home sales. I think it’s going to pick up from last year. That should, in itself, drive volume.”