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What does a mortgage loan specialist do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does a mortgage loan specialist do

Also called a loan officer, a mortgage loan specialist assists clients in finding the appropriate financial aid for homes and other properties. Mortgage loan specialists look for new applicants, secure the right loans, assist with the documentation, and supervise the financing process. They collect and review the financial information of their clients for loan grant eligibility. It is important that they develop skills in financial processes, customer service, time management, and communication.

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Mortgage loan specialist responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real mortgage loan specialist resumes:

  • Time management and organization skills to effectively prioritize multiple objectives and achieve volume goals.
  • Investigate and resolve, borrower complaints, inquiries and disputes in accordance with RESPA establish procedures.
  • Clear post-closing FHA and VA deficiency items to ensure loans meet federal loan guidelines and ensure they are salable.
  • Process FHA and VA loan information, post-closing, ensure that initial payments receive were forward to the proper department.
  • Respond to mortgage lenders and taxing agency jurisdictions by utilizing effective verbal and written communication in a prompt and accurate manner.
  • Determine loan DU eligibility and submit files to underwriting department.

Mortgage loan specialist skills and personality traits

We calculated that 21% of Mortgage Loan Specialists are proficient in Customer Service, FHA, and Escrow Accounts. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Math skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Mortgage Loan Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 21%

    Delivered topflight customer service to clients, conducting attentive needs assessments to identify individual requirements and structure optimal loan product options.

  • FHA, 8%

    Specialized to underwrite all investors such as Freddie Mac, FHA insured, VA, Private and HFI ad MAP loans.

  • Escrow Accounts, 5%

    Keyed and verified sensitive information regarding mortgage loans, reconciliations, incentives, REO corporate advances, and escrow accounts.

  • Underwriting Approval, 5%

    Submitted loan applications with recommendations for underwriting approval based on the type of mortgage submitted.

  • Loan Process, 4%

    Prepared required documentation to proceed with purchase transaction and collected necessary documentation for loan processing and underwriting review.

  • Credit Reports, 4%

    Ordered finished proof credit reports, review for accuracy and transfer information accordingly.

"customer service," "fha," and "escrow accounts" are among the most common skills that mortgage loan specialists use at work. You can find even more mortgage loan specialist responsibilities below, including:

Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a mortgage loan specialist to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what mortgage loan specialists do because "financial clerks should be able to explain policies and procedures to colleagues and customers." Additionally, a mortgage loan specialist resume shows how mortgage loan specialists use communication skills: "maintained an exemplary level of customer service through proactive communication with external and internal clients, including vendors and homeowners. "

Math skills. Many mortgage loan specialist duties rely on math skills. "the job duties of financial clerks includes calculating charges and updating financial records.," so a mortgage loan specialist will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways mortgage loan specialist responsibilities rely on math skills: "demonstrated excellent organizational skills refined supervisory skills skills used data entry customer service math and computer skills"

Organizational skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of mortgage loan specialists is organizational skills. This skill is critical to many everyday mortgage loan specialist duties, as "financial clerks must be able to arrange files so they can find them quickly and efficiently." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "reviewed residential loan applications for accuracy and conformity to organizational and governmental underwriting guidelines. "

See the full list of mortgage loan specialist skills

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Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume
Mortgage Loan Specialist Resume

Compare different mortgage loan specialists

Mortgage loan specialist vs. Closer

The duties of a closer depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to ensure that they understand and adhere to all terms of the agreement, completing all requirements and necessary documents, and maintaining records of all transactions. A closer must also monitor the regular payments of clients to ensure their compliance with the agreement, answer any inquiries, perform follow-up calls, and address any issues or concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently.

We looked at the average mortgage loan specialist salary and compared it with the wages of a closer. Generally speaking, closers are paid $11,895 lower than mortgage loan specialists per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between mortgage loan specialists and closers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like customer service, fha, and escrow accounts.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, mortgage loan specialist responsibilities require skills like "underwriting approval," "loan process," "loan modifications," and "loan products." Meanwhile a typical closer has skills in areas such as "cleanliness," "punctuality," "dependability," and "food orders." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

The education levels that closers earn slightly differ from mortgage loan specialists. In particular, closers are 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a mortgage loan specialist. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Mortgage loan specialist vs. Post closer

Post closers require an associate degree or certification in addition to 1-3 years of related experience. Skills in customer support, document review, loan processing, quality assurance processing, and loan software are also necessary for this career. Port closers assist with the mortgage loan closing process by reviewing loan documents for compliance, completeness, and accuracy. They also find missing information, prepare files and provide internal and external customer support.

On average, post closers earn a $3,141 lower salary than mortgage loan specialists a year.A few skills overlap for mortgage loan specialists and post closers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "fha," "loan packages," and "fannie mae. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, mortgage loan specialist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "escrow accounts," "underwriting approval," and "loan process." Meanwhile, a post closer has duties that require skills in areas such as "post-closer," "va," "escrow," and "settlement statements." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On average, post closers earn a lower salary than mortgage loan specialists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, post closers earn the most pay in the insurance industry with an average salary of $40,625. Whereas mortgage loan specialists have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $41,530.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Post closers tend to reach similar levels of education than mortgage loan specialists. In fact, they're 1.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Mortgage loan specialist vs. Loan officer

Loan officers are responsible for assisting borrowers on the best type of loans to avail and guiding the clients throughout the application process. A loan officer must be highly knowledgeable about different lending products, payment plans, loan regulations, and essential files for fast loan approval. Loan officers also act as the first point of contact, conducting an initial screening of the customers, process loan contracts and appropriate documentation, update account records, and respond to customer's inquiries. A loan officer also has the right to reject loan applicants who do not meet loan qualifications.

On average scale, loan officers bring in higher salaries than mortgage loan specialists. In fact, they earn a $4,631 higher salary per year.mortgage loan specialists and loan officers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "customer service," "fha," and "loan process," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from mortgage loan specialist resumes include skills like "escrow accounts," "underwriting approval," "loan modifications," and "loss mitigation," whereas a loan officer is more likely to list skills in "origination," "loan origination," "nmls," and "multifaceted. "

Loan officers earn the highest salary when working in the finance industry, where they receive an average salary of $42,046. Comparatively, mortgage loan specialists have the highest earning potential in the finance industry, with an average salary of $41,530.loan officers typically earn similar educational levels compared to mortgage loan specialists. Specifically, they're 1.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Mortgage loan specialist vs. Loan closer

A loan closer is primarily in charge of handling and closing loan documentation, ensuring accuracy and smooth transactions. A loan closer's responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to guarantee that they adhere to every term in the contract, preparing necessary reports and documents, monitoring payment progress, and ensuring that they have a deep understanding of the obligations under the contract. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions and assist clients, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Loan closers tend to earn a lower pay than mortgage loan specialists by an average of $2,093 per year.According to resumes from mortgage loan specialists and loan closers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "customer service," "fha," and "credit reports. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A mortgage loan specialist uses "escrow accounts," "underwriting approval," "loan process," and "loan modifications." Loan closers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "excellent organizational," "trid," "va," and "origination. "The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for loan closers, with average annual pay of $40,817. Comparatively, the highest mortgage loan specialist annual salary comes from the finance industry.loan closers reach similar levels of education compared to mortgage loan specialists, in general. The difference is that they're 0.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of mortgage loan specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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