The materials available in this article are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your own advisors with questions regarding the mortgage lending software content herein. The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the individual authors and may not reflect the opinions of MeridianLink, Inc.
In the mortgage rate race, lenders who meet rate shifts with fast, safe, and confident approvals tend to come out ahead.
For over a decade, IMBs and banks have been at the forefront of the rate race, while credit unions have stagnated at around 6% of home purchases and refinances. That lag hasn’t been because borrowers trust these institutions more. Many times, these institutions were simply better equipped to deliver simple, fast, and secure experiences that made mortgage loan origination a breeze.
However, times are changing, and credit unions have an opportunity to pull ahead.
In the first half of 2025, relatively lower mortgage rates fueled a 27% increase in first-mortgage originations among credit unions. Looking forward, many experts predict that by the end of 2026, the average 30-year fixed rate will hover between 5.90% and 6.30%. While uncertainty still exists, these items could bode well for credit unions’ ability to catch up, or even surpass, IMB and bank mortgage originations.
It’s Time To Take the Lead in the Mortgage Lending Market
When credit unions combine the speed and ease-of-use of competitor institutions with the trust and culture that attracts members to them in the first place, they become unstoppable.
MeridianLink® Mortgage is here to help credit unions realize that potential with digital-first, borrower-focused technology designed to securely accelerate approvals, scale up mortgage lending, and streamline workloads, all while reducing costly workarounds and staff strain.
Capabilities including configurable automations, built-in compliance, current, decision-ready data, and so much more make it simpler than ever for credit unions to sustain growth, enhance member experiences, and deepen loyalty.
- Prioritize the member experience at every step with intelligent, streamlined workflows, speedier decisions, and personalized service.
- Shorten loan cycles, boost pull-through rates, and speed up approvals with a native or third-party compatible PPE, rules-based automation, eDocs, web portals, and more.
- Maintain a swift, scalable, and safe end-to-end experience with a cloud-based platform, automatic compliance updates, and third-party integrations for fraud and data security.
It’s time to go for the gold in the rate race. Discover how MeridianLink Mortgage lending software can support you along the way with quick, frictionless, and modern digital experiences.
