AI platform helps Hispanic homebuyers navigate mortgage process amid language barriers

A nonprofit organization has launched an AI-powered platform to help Hispanic homebuyers navigate the mortgage application process, addressing language barriers and complex lending requirements. The Hispanic Organization of Mortgage Experts (HOME) introduced the bilingual tool as federal housing agencies shift to English-only services under President Trump’s language policies, creating new challenges for the growing population of limited-English households.

What you should know: The platform, called Wholesale Search, streamlines the mortgage process by instantly searching requirements across more than 150 lenders.

• Built on ChatGPT technology, the system provides customized loan options for each buyer’s specific situation through an internal database.
• HOME also offers Home Certified training programs for loan officers, covering topics like income analysis, compliance rules, and intercultural communication.
• The platform is designed to handle complicated cases including borrowers without Social Security numbers, minimal credit history, or visa holders.

Why this matters: Limited-English households have tripled over the past four decades, according to the Urban Institute, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit research organization, and these families struggle to navigate the mortgage process—a key barrier to building generational wealth.

• The timing is particularly significant as federal housing agencies implement English-only services following Trump’s executive order promoting English as the official language.
• The order was described as a way to “reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society.”

How it transforms the process: Loan officers report dramatically improved efficiency and client outcomes using the AI tool.

• Danny Velazquez of GFL Capital previously had to contact 70 lenders individually and wait for responses, often learning later that they wouldn’t accept specific buyer situations.
• “I am just able to make the process faster and get them the house,” Velazquez said about the new platform.
• One recent client, Heriberto Blanco-Joya, completed his first home purchase in Las Vegas in just six weeks: “The process was pleasant and simple.”

Safeguards and accuracy: Platform creators acknowledge AI risks and have implemented multiple error-reduction measures.

• The system pulls information directly from lenders and loan officers, with database updates whenever new loan products appear.
• Users can flag problems to developers for immediate correction.
• “AI is a great tool, but it doesn’t replace that human element of professionalism, and that is why we are constantly tweaking and making sure it is correct,” said HOME founder Rogelio Goertzen.

Industry adoption: Other companies are developing similar AI-powered mortgage solutions for underserved communities.

• Better Home & Finance has created Tinman, an AI platform helping loan officers find lenders for borrowers with non-traditional income or documents.
• Their voice assistant Betsy manages over 137,000 borrower interactions monthly, with a Spanish-language version in development.
• “Tools like Betsy can interact and engage with customers in a way that feels supportive and not judgmental,” said Leah Price, vice president of Tinman platform.

What mortgage professionals are saying: Industry experts emphasize the training and coaching benefits beyond just loan matching.

• Jay Rodriguez of Arbor Financial Group noted that understanding different investors’ requirements “can mean the difference between turning a family away and getting them approved.”
• The platform proves especially valuable for training new loan officers and coaching teams on better serving their communities.
• “Financial literacy can be challenging for Hispanic borrowers or borrowers in other underserved populations,” Price added.