Remaining figures can be confirmed as soon as the license renewal grace interval ends in February. However the early evaluation means that extra producing LOs had been energetic in some unspecified time in the future throughout 2025 in contrast with the prior yr.
The LO inhabitants surged in the course of the pandemic as traditionally low mortgage rates fueled refinance and buy exercise. At its peak, the manufacturing LO workforce approached 290,000 as lenders quickly expanded hiring to fulfill demand with rates of interest within the 2% to 4% vary.
That enlargement was adopted by widespread layoffs, bankruptcies, and mergers and acquisitions as charges rose sharply and origination volumes collapsed. The variety of producing LOs steadily declined, hitting a post-pandemic low level in 2024. The restoration since then has been gradual and uneven.
Mortgage Bankers Affiliation (MBA) information exhibits that three totally different sources — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) and the MBA’s personal Quarterly Efficiency Report — point out a constant pattern: Business employment has stabilized prior to now six quarters in comparison with the interval of dramatic decline from 2021 to 2023.
“Mortgage originations are forecast to extend via 2027, which can additionally imply some modest pickup in mortgage business employment,” the MBA acknowledged.
Employment tendencies
LO employment tendencies different sharply by firm kind in 2025. Whereas banks, credit score unions and mortgage brokerages confirmed indicators of restoration final yr, impartial mortgage banks (IMBs) continued to shed gross sales workers.
Brokers posted the strongest development, with their LO depend rising 12.5% yr over yr to 56,803, though they continue to be the smallest LO part of the market.
Banks and credit score unions elevated their mixed LO depend by 5% to 89,389 in 2025. In distinction, IMBs and different lenders noticed an 11.7% decline, falling to 74,969 LOs.
The variety of real estate agents additionally continued to say no in 2025, falling 3% to 1,055,912, in line with RETR.
“This can be a time to stay round and double down on relationships, as a result of it’s when issues get higher,” Wynands mentioned.
In response to Wynands, enhancing sentiment is tied to larger mortgage price stability.
“We’re now again at a degree the place the consensus is that we’re not going to five% — we’re staying within the 6% vary,” he mentioned. “That’s shifting the borrower mentality again to, ‘Let’s get again to purchasing houses.’”
