Homeowners are currently sitting on an unprecedented amount of equity, resulting in higher demand for home equity loans and lines of credit. And with interest rates expected to decline, refinancing and even new home purchases are on the rise. For lenders, retaining existing customers can be just as important as acquiring new ones. However, in today’s competitive market, borrower loyalty isn’t guaranteed. Success will depend on timing and consistent engagement across the customer life cycle.
Instead of keeping servicing and originations as two separate processes, some mortgage technologies are proactively closing the gap. These technologies combine serving portfolio data with origination point of sale, sales enablement, and marketing automation to help lenders react to real-time opportunities from their existing borrowers–and at the forefront of this revolutionary movement is ICE Mortgage Technology. By combining automation, analytics, and system convergence, ICE helps lenders reassess their recapture strategies and turn their existing customers into future revenue.
Why does recapturing clients demand a new approach
Data shows the growing importance of client recapture. The 2025 ICE Borrower Insights Survey reports that almost 25% of home mortgage borrowers are considering refinancing or borrowing home equity within the next year. However, ICE’s Mortgage Monitor reports that less than 25% of home mortgage owners who did refinance during the first quarter of 2025 retained the same lender.
This shows that just being listed in a lender’s portfolio is no longer enough to guarantee that the borrower will return once the time comes for their next loan. Borrowers have the advantage right now – it’s never been easier to research, compare offers, and set high expectations from lenders. Borrowers require timely and relevant communication to stay engaged.
A shared retention strategy
Matt Dowd, ICE’s vice president of product management, notes that the requirements of the borrower do not change depending on where they are in the loan life cycle. Whether they’re in the middle of the loan process or just considering their options, the borrower is looking for consistency and ease of use. To meet this need, ICE has delivered an end-to-end, seamless and connected borrower experience.
One of the more impactful developments for client recapture is the integration of MSP®, ICE’s best-in-class servicing platform, and a suite of automated engagement solutions. With MSP, lenders can access the most current borrower data and combine it with real-time market data, public records and property valuations to pinpoint customers that have the highest probability of refinancing, obtaining a home equity loan, or making a new purchase. This data is curated within the ICE Business Intelligence software that can convert raw data into actionable insights.
Making data more actionable
Once a borrower is identified with a high propensity for a new loan, ICE’s integrated technologies will help lenders communicate with speed and precision. Automated marketing campaigns can be launched instantly using email, text, or direct mail to keep the borrower engaged. These campaigns are backed by borrower data like updated property valuations or potential refinancing savings.
A borrower can view this personalized content through the ICE Servicing Digital portal, they can also submit property information for valuation and even initiate a completely new loan process, which has been pre-populated with a borrower’s information from MSP. This workflow updates Encompass®, ICE’s loan origination platform, and the application is submitted to a loan officer for follow up. Such seamless engagement does more than generate leads, it allows for more meaningful conversations. Loan officers have access to the same information that the borrower has, and can focus on closing high-potential borrowers more thoughtfully instead of chasing empty leads.
Capitalizing on home equity lending
As of Q2 2025, U.S. mortgage holders entered Q2 2025 with a record $17.6 trillion in home equity, according to ICE’s Mortgage Monitor. Borrowers who were lucky enough to lock in low rates would be less likely to refinance their first mortgage, however, there is an opportunity for these borrowers to still explore home equity lines for renovations, consolidate debt, or cover educational costs.
Consider a borrower who originally secured a $400,000 mortgage at a 4.00% interest rate on a $500,000 home. After several years of home price appreciation, the household now holds over $250,000 in equity. The lender, using their MSP portfolio data and business intelligence capabilities, can confirm that this borrower, who has remained current on their mortgage, is a strong HELOC candidate. When pairing ICE’s business intelligence with property-level insights, such as home type, square footage, and year built, the lender can tailor an automated marketing campaign to include messaging around home improvement opportunities. Since the borrower is unlikely to refinance and give up their favorable 4.00% mortgage, a HELOC becomes a compelling alternative to unlock equity without sacrificing their low rate.
Reconsidering recapture as a revenue model
Retaining clients for their next loan is not just about less churn, it’s about driving growth. ICE Mortgage Technology is assisting lenders in building smarter recapture strategies by connecting the dots between servicing realities, borrower engagement and simplifying the origination process. Early recognition of high-intent borrowers– along with delivering personalized loan offers through an automated process – will create improved retention, lower acquisition costs, and the formation of longer-term, stronger relationships.
With a continually shifting mortgage landscape, lenders that make the investment in technology, data, and automation will be best equipped to maintain pace and remain in touch with the customers they already know.
