CrossCountry, Blend announce partnership to drive IMB growth

CrossCountry Mortgage and digital banking platform Blend have announced an expanded partnership aimed at driving innovation for independent mortgage banks (IMBs). The collaboration combines CrossCountry’s 7,000-plus employees across over 700 branches with Blend’s technology platform, which processed almost $1.2 trillion in loan applications in 2024. The companies are introducing new solutions to enhance the Blend experience for all IMBs.

In a move to better support IMBs, Blend has established a dedicated business unit focused on providing tailored technology and support. This unit will be overseen by Justin Venhousen, the newly appointed general manager of Blend’s IMB division. Venhousen, who previously served as the chief operating officer at Compass Mortgage for over 12 years, expressed his understanding of the challenges faced by customers in the mortgage industry.

Blend has already implemented enhancements at CrossCountry Mortgage, with more scheduled to launch in 2025. These improvements include branch- and LO-level configurations that enable CrossCountry to customize workflows, branding, and operational settings at the branch level for consistency across all branches. Additional benefits consist of enhanced disclosure package functionality and hybrid closing safeguards like improved eSign visibility.

CrossCountry’s COO, Jennifer Stracensky, highlighted the partnership’s establishment of a “new standard” for homebuying accessibility. She emphasized the collaboration with Blend to create purpose-built solutions and advanced tools that empower loan officers to better serve borrowers. Stracensky stated that by developing solutions such as branch-level configurability and seamless disclosures within Blend, they are not only enhancing their operations but also setting a new standard for the home lending process to make it more convenient and accessible to borrowers and communities nationwide.