Even with the positive perception, Gehrke said there are still things to be ironed out, and brokers will have to determine what works for each customer.
“Initial perceptions of artificial intelligence have been very positive,” he said. “I don’t think that the general consumer, myself included, really understands what is possible or what is really happening behind the scenes. So when you start getting automated phone calls, is that what we really want? Is that the relationship we want?
“It will be interesting to see how people adapt to it, and it may be something that we just become comfortable with, because I’ve heard and seen some of the demonstrations. I’ve seen some of them, and they’re noticeable, but they’re very good, and it’ll only get better.”
Benn Jackson of Constructive Capital highlights why technology integration is the top priority for non-QM lenders in 2026, aiming to boost efficiency, speed, and broker adoption as demand grows.https://t.co/nZhUF7qWSx
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) December 15, 2025
And even with all the new tech to be embraced, Gehrke said it still comes down to the one-on-one human relationship to drive the mortgage sale. The hope is that the tech frees the broker up to nurture those relationships even more in 2026.
“Instead of being transactionally focused, you’re more relationship focused,” he said. “You could, in the past, as a broker, be more relationship-focused. But this really completes it for the customer. They’ll see it more clearly now, and I think it’ll be much more effective. It will be interesting to see how well they can deliver on that.”
