Discover Home Loans — an Irvine, Calif.-based lender licensed in 42 states — will launch websites for some real estate brokerages affiliated with Real Living Real Estate designed to allow consumers to search for-sale listings and connect them with real estate agents and mortgage professionals earlier in the homebuying process.
Real Living is a part of HSF Affiliates LLC, which operates the Prudential Real Estate and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices real estate brands. HSF Affiliates is majority owned by Berkshire Hathaway affiliate HomeServices of America Inc.
“By answering mortgage-related questions like, ‘How much home can I afford?’ and doing it earlier in the process, we will give homebuyers greater confidence and put them in a better position when placing an offer on a specific home,” said Robert J. Smith, president of Discover Home Loans, in a statement.
Discover Home Loans was formerly a partner in realtor.com’s prequalification tool, PreQualPlus. In its most recent annual report to investors, realtor.com operator Move Inc. said PreQualPlus was discontinued.
“The goal of working with Discover Home Loans is to provide our brokers and agents with the knowledge and tools to better serve homebuyers and to ultimately be more successful,” said Robert W. McAdams Jr., president of Real Living, in a statement.
The websites Discover Home Loans is building for select Real Living franchisees will feature community information like neighborhood and school statistics, loan options including current mortgage rates and estimated monthly payments, and contact information for real estate agents and mortgage bankers.
