Mortgage lenders can win more new construction business by combining market intelligence with a repeatable builder outreach process. In this webinar, Nicollette Chapman, SVP of Mortgage Data Sales, shares a mortgage market update and what it signals for builder lending.
Then Robby MacAskill, Director of Business Development, demos the newly redesigned Zonda Enterprise Mortgage (formerly MortgagePro) and how it helps lenders identify new construction builders, communities, and mortgage capture insights to prioritize the right accounts.
Watch the on-demand recording below, or read on for the key takeaways.
Is new construction still a good opportunity for loan officers?
Yes—new construction remains a large source of purchase mortgage volume. Based on Zonda’s data within Enterprise Mortgage, Chapman shared that within the last 12 months there were:
- 17,000+ builders closed at least one home
- About 560,000 new-build closings
- Roughly $175B in new construction loan volume
- Average new-build closing price: ~$514,000
- Average loan amount: ~$412,000
- Approximately 400,000 Vacant Developed Lots (VDLs)—a forward-looking indicator of near-term construction and future mortgage activity
Builders don’t just represent “a few big accounts.” The opportunity is broad, and it creates a steady base of purchase transactions that can be tracked geographically and by community.
Where is new construction most active?
The highest concentration of new construction activity within the last 12 months has occured mainly within two Sunbelt states:
- Texas: ~123,000 closings (22% of U.S. new-build closings)
- Florida: ~86,000 closings (15%)
- Texas + Florida combined: ~37% of all new-build closings
LO takeaway: If you originate in TX or FL (or feed those markets), builder relationships can be one of the most direct paths to scalable purchase growth.
Aren’t most builders locked up with a captive lender or JV?
Not most. A key insight Chapman shared is that the builder market is dominated by smaller operators, not mega builders.
Out of 17,655 builders that closed homes:
- 56 builders closed 1,000+ homes (about 0.3%)
- 287 builders closed 100–999 homes (about 1.6%)
- 17,312 builders closed fewer than 100 homes (about 98.1%)
What this means for loan officers: while the largest builders often get the most attention, the biggest addressable universe is the long tail of small-to-mid builders—often with more flexible lender relationships.
What do builders actually want from a lender?
Builders ultimately optimize for sales pace and certainty to close.
In a higher-for-longer rate environment, LOs win builder mindshare when they bring solutions that reduce buyer friction—especially around affordability and qualification—and when they operate like a reliable extension of the builder’s sales process.
In plain terms: builders want lenders who help them convert buyers, not lenders who only show up with pricing.
What is “builder mortgage capture,” and how can it help you target the right accounts?
Builder mortgage capture (or lender share) is the percentage of a builder’s closings funded by each lender.
In the webinar, the practical targeting guidance was:
- Look for builders where the top lender’s share is under 50% (and especially under 30%).
LO takeaway: fragmented capture often signals an account that is more “open”—meaning it may be winnable with consistent outreach, better execution, and the right buyer solutions.
What is Zonda Enterprise Mortgage?
Zonda Enterprise Mortgage (formerly Zonda MortgagePro) is a market intelligence platform built to help mortgage teams grow purchase volume through new construction and builder relationships.
In the webinar, MacAskill shared how the beautifully redesigned platform supports a repeatable prospecting workflow by helping teams:
- Research home builders and new construction communities
- Understand competitive lender presence using mortgage capture/share
- Use community/inventory signals (including VDLs and completed homes) to prioritize where opportunity is most immediate
- Expand visibility into the broader purchase ecosystem (including loan officers and real estate agents) to support relationship building and recruiting
Value for LOs and sales leaders: less time guessing who to call, more time having informed conversations with the right builders in the right communities.
How should loan officers apply this in the field?
Through a simple, repeatable approach:
- Pick a focused geography where you can build in-person relationships
- Use market data to identify builders and communities with real activity and near-term pipeline
- Prioritize “open” accounts where mortgage capture is fragmented
- Lead with conversion outcomes (speed, certainty, fewer fall-outs), not just rates
- Show up consistently—data points you to the right doors; relationships still win the business
What you’ll learn by watching the webinar
- A data-backed mortgage market update specific to new construction
- The webinar’s most useful “myth-buster”: most builders are not mega builders—and many are approachable
- How to think about builder mortgage capture as a targeting tool (50% / 30% rule of thumb)
- A walkthrough of the redesigned Zonda Enterprise Mortgage and how it supports builder lending strategy
Watch the full recording to access the complete data and detailed product demonstration.
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