Join the movement at Inman Connect Las Vegas, July 30 – Aug. 1! Seize the moment to take charge of the next era in real estate. Through immersive experiences, innovative formats and an unparalleled lineup of speakers, this gathering becomes more than a conference — it becomes a collaborative force shaping the future of our industry. Secure your tickets now!
A fintech company that partners with lenders to help homeowners tap their equity to buy before they sell, make non-contingent “cash-like” offers or come up with a bigger downpayment is gaining traction with new partners including APEX Mortgage Group, C2 Financial and Cornerstone First Mortgage.
Austin, Texas-based Calque claims its business model — which provides a guaranteed backup offer to homeowners when they are ready to buy their next home — is more cost-efficient than competing iBuyer and power buyer models.
The home Calque’s clients are buying doesn’t have to change hands twice, as is sometimes the case with power buyers, and the home they’re selling gets exposure to the open market.
Although the backup offer is rarely needed — most customers sell their home on the open market for more — it lets homeowners work with one of Calque’s partner lenders to qualify for “The Move Ahead Mortgage,” enabling them to buy before they sell and make a non-contingent offer.
Calque’s other offering, “The Trade-In Mortgage” also lets homeowners who want to move up to a costlier house tap the equity in their current home to make a bigger down payment, which may help them get a lower interest rate or avoid paying for private mortgage insurance.
Both options allow loan officers to exclude payments on the homeowners’ existing mortgage from the debt-to-income calculations when underwriting their new loan, making it easier to qualify — and potentially on better terms.
“Despite market conditions and fluctuating mortgage rates, numerous homeowners are seeking a change of location, and buying a home continues to be a sound financial decision,” Calque said Thursday in announcing its latest partnership with Atlanta-based APEX Mortgage Group LLC, which will offer The Trade-In Mortgage.
Keith Webster
“Our clients are like family to us, and we are dedicated to discovering the optimal mortgage solution for their needs,” APEX Mortgage Group CEO Keith Webster said in a statement. “The Trade-In Mortgage levels the playing field by enabling borrowers to leverage the equity in their current residence to make better bids and minimize stress when purchasing their next home.”
Licensed in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, Apex Mortgage Group sponsors 11 mortgage originators working out of two branch locations, according to Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) records.
Last week Calque announced a partnership with mortgage broker C2 Financial to offer a white-label version of The Move Ahead Mortgage, branded “C2 Buy Before You Sell.”
With 1,000 sponsored mortgage loan originators working out of 137 branch locations nationwide, San Diego-based C2 Financial is licensed in 34 states, making it one of the biggest mortgage brokers in the country, according to NMLS records.
David Temko
“We decided to partner with Calque to offer a safer, better ‘buy before you sell’ solution for our customers,” C2 Financial President David Temko said in a statement. “Our mortgage expertise and the guaranteed backup offer from Calque empowers homebuyers to purchase their dream homes with much less stress.”
Last month Calque also announced a partnership with Cornerstone First Mortgage to launch The Trade-In Mortgage in most markets nationwide
Licensed in every state but New York and Alaska, San Diego-based Cornerstone First Mortgage sponsors 267 mortgage loan originators working out of 36 branch locations, according to NMLS records.
Sean Cahan
“The Trade-In Mortgage was an ideal mortgage solution for Cornerstone because we are dedicated to delivering an extensive range of home loan programs coupled with the highest-quality customer service in the industry,” Cornerstone First Mortgage President Sean Cahan said in a statement. “We aim to deliver a solution that best fits each client’s needs, and this product is perfect for many homebuyers in this market.”
Founded in 2020 by Talroo executive Jeremy Foster, who remains chairman, Calque appointed former CoreLogic executive Michael Bremer as CEO in March.
Jeremy Foster
“Michael has a proven track record of scaling the mortgage solutions business, which makes him the ideal candidate to guide Calque through our next growth phase,” Foster said in a statement. “With lending partners now live in 48 states and more launching every week, Michael’s experience leading teams to handle high volume while still providing exceptional lender support will be invaluable.”
Michael Bremer
Bremer, whose tenure at CoreLogic spanned nearly 14 years, said he looked forward “to scaling up the business at Calque; homeowner equity is high, and thousands of owners are ready to start looking for their next property that meets their lifestyle as rates thaw.”
Get Inman’s Mortgage Brief Newsletter delivered right to your inbox. A weekly roundup of all the biggest news in the world of mortgages and closings delivered every Wednesday. Click here to subscribe.
