Mortgage companies are non-bank businesses built around one product: the home loan. In Delray Beach, they sit alongside banks and credit unions as a common place to start a purchase or refinance. This page explains how a mortgage company differs from a bank, the channels it can sell through, and what happens to your loan after you sign, so you know what you are signing up for in Florida.
Call to speak with a licensed loan officer about mortgage companies in Delray Beach. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
How Palm Beach County borrowers financed homes
Of the 24,332 home loans originated in Palm Beach County in 2024, 84% were conventional and 16% were government-backed (FHA, VA or USDA). Refinances and cash-out refinances together were 23% of the county's loans. The median household income in Delray Beach is about $82,000.
Mortgage company or bank: what is different
The core difference is the funding model. Banks can lend out deposits. Non-bank mortgage companies borrow short-term to close loans, then sell those loans to investors to free up money for the next borrower.
For you, this often means a company focused tightly on getting home loans to closing, with processors and underwriters who specialize in mortgages. It can also mean your loan moves to a new owner after closing. Neither model is better by default. Ask how the company funds loans and whether it plans to keep or sell yours.
Start your application in a few minutes. A licensed loan officer reviews it and follows up with your options.
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Prefer to talk first? Call (888) 912-6746. Applying is not a loan approval or commitment to lend; programs vary by borrower, property and investor. ClearPoint Mortgage Advisors, NMLS #173855. Properties in FL, NY, NJ, PA, CT and VA only.
Retail and wholesale channels
When you talk with a mortgage company, ask whether you are working in its retail or wholesale division. Retail means you deal with the company's own employees from first call to closing.
Wholesale means a broker stands between you and the company. The broker gathers your documents and shops programs, while the wholesale company reviews the file and provides the money. There is also correspondent lending, where a smaller company closes the loan in its own name and sells it right away to a larger investor. Each setup can work well when roles are clear.
Who this tends to fit
- You are unsure whether you are dealing with a retail or wholesale operation
- You were referred to a company and want to confirm its licensing
- You want to know whether your loan will be sold or serviced in-house
- Your current servicer changed and you want to understand why
- You want a short list of questions to ask a company before applying
Local offices and Florida rules to know
- Deed and mortgage recording: Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County - Recording Department. Your mortgage is recorded here after closing.
Mortgage lenders, brokers and loan originators serving Florida are licensed by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. You can confirm any company's or loan officer's license on NMLS Consumer Access before you apply.
Who you pay after closing in Delray Beach
Ask any mortgage company whether it services its own loans or sells the servicing. A company that keeps servicing will collect your payments, manage your escrow account and handle questions for the life of the loan.
If servicing is sold, you will receive a goodbye letter from the current servicer and a welcome letter from the new one. Never send money based on a single letter or call. Verify the new servicer's contact details through your existing statement or account, and keep records of every payment made during the switch. Save the letters with your closing papers.
Before you call
- A question about whether the company services loans or sells servicing
- A question about whether you are in its retail or wholesale channel
- The company's legal name and NMLS ID for a license check
- Recent statements for accounts you will use for closing costs
- Homeowners insurance details and your current property tax bill
Questions Delray Beach borrowers ask about mortgage companies
Why did my loan get transferred to another company?
Servicing rights, which include collecting payments and managing escrow, are often bought and sold. A transfer does not change the terms of your loan, such as the balance or interest terms. You should receive written notice from both the old and new servicer. Federal rules also protect you from late fees for a short period if a payment goes to the old servicer.
What is a loan servicer?
A loan servicer is the company that handles your loan day to day after closing. It collects your monthly payment, manages your escrow account for property taxes and insurance, sends year-end statements and answers questions. If you run into trouble making payments, the servicer is the company you contact about options. The servicer may or may not be the company that originated the loan.
What is the difference between retail and wholesale lending?
In retail lending, you work directly with the company's own loan officers and staff. In wholesale lending, a mortgage broker takes your application and sends it to the company, which then underwrites and funds the loan. Your main contact differs depending on the channel, so it helps to ask which one you are in at the start.
What is a mortgage company?
A mortgage company is a non-bank business that originates home loans. It does not take deposits like a bank or credit union. Most mortgage companies fund loans using short-term credit lines and then sell the loans to investors. They must be licensed in each state where they lend, and their loan officers must hold individual licenses as well.
Get answers about mortgage companies for a home in or around Delray Beach. Subject to credit approval; programs vary.
Other loan options in Delray Beach
LendersBrokersHome loansRefinanceCash-out refinanceHELOCHome equity loanFHAVAFirst-time buyerReverse mortgageConstructionRenovation
Mortgage Companies near Delray Beach
- Mortgage Companies in Boynton Beach, FL (5 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Boca Raton, FL (6 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Lantana, FL (9 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Deerfield Beach, FL (11 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Lake Worth, FL (12 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Lighthouse Point, FL (12 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Greenacres, FL (12 mi)
- Mortgage Companies in Palm Springs, FL (12 mi)
Related guides
- How to Choose a Mortgage Lender
- The Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, Explained
- Documents Needed for a Mortgage
Mortgage Companies across Florida · Mortgage Companies guide · Florida overview
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- 2024 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for Palm Beach County