11/01/2026
When you're ready to make your first hire, the decision between a processor and an LOA depends on where your business is breaking down.
If you already have access to excellent processing support, but you're struggling to take applications, collect documents, and keep borrowers moving through the process, an LOA may be the right addition.
If you're running a small brokerage on your own and don't have strong processing or operational support, a processor who can handle multiple functions may make more sense.
There's no universal answer because every loan officer has a different business model, workload, and operational environment.
Before hiring, identify the actual bottleneck. Figure out which responsibilities are consuming your time and preventing you from growing.
Then build the team around what your business needs, rather than hiring simply because everyone else seems to be doing it.