This preparation, she believes, is key to shortening the back end of the process. “We want to make sure everyone’s prepared and we’re ready to rock it as soon as those rates come down,” she explained, stressing the need to avoid letting applications linger in the pipeline too long.
wemlo, one of the largest processing companies in the industry, offers a unique model for scalability. Its processing pods, which assign multiple processors to a client, allow brokers to scale up their operations without the need for additional training or hiring. Balak highlighted the benefits of this model, explaining, “You not only get one processor, but you get multiple, and that helps us really scale with your business.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Balak spotlighted wemlo’s milestone achievement of hitting their 6,000th “Clear to Close” (CTC). She expressed optimism about continuing to double this figure in the coming years, setting the stage for aggressive growth. “We hit the 6,000 number. We’re ready for the next 6,000,” she said, highlighting how rare such achievements are in the contract processing world.
For Balak, the broker and wholesale channel remains central to wemlo’s operations. She attributed much of their success to the strong relationships they’ve built with lenders and title companies. “Our lenders have been amazing,” she said, noting that this network of relationships has been crucial in driving referrals and supporting Wemlo’s growth.
One aspect of wemlo’s success that cannot be overlooked is its company culture, which Balak describes as hands-off and empowering for employees. “It’s my people that really make it all happen,” she said, explaining that her leadership philosophy is centered around trust and allowing her team to do their jobs without micromanagement. This approach has clearly paid off, as the company has earned accolades for being a top employer.