MBA, FirstHome IQ launch professional development platform

Announced at the MBA’s 2026 Annual Conference and Expo, MBA Homebase provides loan officers with access to educational resources, coaching, networking opportunities, market intelligence, and avenues for participating in the MBA’s advocacy initiatives. The platform is accessible to all loan officers, irrespective of their employers' MBA membership status.

Owen Lee, CEO of Success Mortgage Partners and the incoming chairman of the MBA for 2027, is spearheading this initiative. He highlighted that MBA Homebase addresses a recognized need for enhanced professional development support for loan officers within the association's offerings. Lee stated, “By investing in loan officers, we’re investing in better outcomes for the consumers and communities they serve.”

The platform is structured around four core pillars: knowledge, purpose, business, and influence. The knowledge pillar offers NMLS-approved continuing education from four providers: Diehl Education (a KensieMae company), Knowledge Coop, Lockedin Learning, and MLO Force. The purpose pillar features monthly coaching sessions and weekly guidance focused on skill development, business growth, and professional goal achievement. The business pillar includes the Trust Certification by FirstHome IQ, a credential intended to foster consumer confidence and underscore a commitment to responsible lending. The influence pillar provides opportunities for engagement in MBA advocacy efforts and access to market insights for borrowers and referral partners.

This partnership builds upon previous collaborations between the MBA and FirstHome IQ, which have focused on connecting homebuyer education with mortgage professionals. FirstHome IQ is known for its homebuyer education programs and its network of over 160 Ambassadors who provide consumer education in their local markets. The organizations have also previously worked together to encourage loan officers' involvement in housing policy discussions, including a joint visit to Capitol Hill by over 60 mortgage professionals during the MBA’s 2026 National Advocacy Conference.

Kristin Messerli, executive director of FirstHome IQ, emphasized the synergy of the initiative, stating, “Homeownership education is most effective when consumers can connect what they learn with a trusted professional who can help them take the next step. MBA Homebase brings education, professional development and industry engagement together in one place, helping loan officers build the knowledge and trust they need to guide more Americans toward successful homeownership.”