In a high-rate mortgage market that’s squeezed independent brokers, one veteran’s story highlights how AI is becoming a lifeline for small operators. Chad, an independent mortgage broker with nearly a decade of experience, built his business through 18-hour days, managing multiple operations, and handling the workload of “eight men.”
It worked. Until 2023, when serious health issues forced Chad to slow down. This is when focus slipped and details started to be forgotten. For the first time, he needed to take a break just to get through the day. As his energy faded, so did his pipeline.
“Bills are coming in… business going backwards… what am I going to do?” he recalls.
When you’re the business, personal setbacks can mean collapse. That is when Chad turned to AngelAi, the AI-powered mortgage assistant developed by Celligence (a Sun West Mortgage affiliate) and licensed to brokers.
What started as a skeptical trial became a turning point for Chad.
The Bottlenecks Holding Brokers Back
Independent brokers juggle everything: client intake, compliance, underwriting calculations, lead chasing, and partner relationships. Manual processes like document review, income analysis, program eligibility, all create delays, defects, and high costs per file.
Borrowers demand speed. Research shows contacting leads quickly dramatically boosts conversions (an older MIT study found responding within 5 minutes is 21x more effective than 30 minutes). Yet many brokers struggle to deliver instant engagement without burning out.
AngelAi changed that for Chad by automating the heavy lifting.
Instant, Warranted Underwriting in Real Time
AngelAi goes beyond basic chatbots. It performs underwriter-style analysis: income calculations (including complex self-employment/rental schedules), program eligibility, and fully warranted TRU Approvals. And pre-approvals backed by Sun West’s representation and warranty relief.
Borrowers can ask anything 24/7. “What’s my qualifying income?” “Best rate today?” “Payment on this property?” They can get accurate, guideline-based answers instantly.
“It simplified so many really complex processes,” Chad says. “And it did them better than I’d ever seen.”
Embedding Brokers at the Start of the Buyer Journey
Today’s buyers start online: National Association of Realtors data shows ~43% begin their home search there, with 51% ultimately buying a property found online.
AngelAi lets brokers capitalize with free co-branded property listing pages. Embedded directly on realtor partners’ sites, these include real-time scenarios, rates, payment estimates, pre-approval links, and an “Angel Twin” chat (a conversational AI version of the broker).
The result: Brokers capture leads earlier, reduce fall-throughs, and offer value big banks can’t match.
Proof in Crisis
In 2024, an EF2 tornado hit Chad’s neighborhood, causing over $60,000 in damage and months of disruption. In the past, this would have stalled his business. This time?
“Thank goodness I had AngelAi,” Chad says. “It kept everything going while I handled my life.”
The Bigger Picture for Brokers
Chad’s turnaround underscores a broader shift: AI isn’t replacing brokers. Instead it’s protecting them from burnout and enabling scale.
Today, Chad offers customers tech-forward service: faster qualifications, lower risk (fewer errors/conditions), stronger realtor partnerships, and more control over his schedule.
“Technology like AngelAi is allowing people to do more with less,” Chad reflects. “It’s giving those who may have limitations the ability to become successful.”
In a market dominated by big lenders, tools like this are leveling the playing field for independent brokers. They are driving efficiency, inclusivity, and growth.
About AngelAi
AngelAi, developed by Celligence LLC and licensed by Sun West Mortgage Company, Inc., is an AI-powered platform designed to streamline mortgage processes for brokers, loan officers, and borrowers. Features include conversational intake, warranted underwriting calculations, TRU Approvals, and co-branded listing tools. Learn more at angelai.com. (Note: Warranty terms and limitations apply; see angelai.com/warranty.)
See Also:
How AngelAi is Driving Mortgage Decisions in the U.S. | Disruption Banking
