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How Does Ownwell Work?

A brief overview of how Ownwell works, along with links to additional resources.

Dan MacDonald avatar
Written by Dan MacDonald
Updated over 3 weeks ago

Staying Top of Mind with Your Existing Clients

Ownwell helps you maintain strong relationships with your existing clients by turning their mortgage and property data into personalized, engaging homeownership reports.

1. Data Collection & Enrichment

Ownwell imports client, mortgage, and property data from your mortgage applications. You don’t need to import all of your data at once - you can always add more later.

Adding Client Data

You can add client data in the following ways:

  1. Submission Platform Integration: Connect directly via API with Finmo and Velocity.

  2. Bulk Import via CSV: Import clients using a CSV file from Filogix Expert, another platform or CRM.

  3. Homeowner Submission: Let homeowners (leads or partner clients) input their own information using an Adopt My Mortgage Landing Page.

What Ownwell Does with Your Data

When you import client data, Ownwell automatically processes and enriches it for you:

  • Rate Type Classification: For variable-rate mortgages, Ownwell assigns the rate type as:

    • Variable (fixed payment), or

    • Adjustable (fluctuating payment)

      *This is based on the lender’s name, though you can override it if needed.

  • Monthly Debts Calculation: If debts were recorded in the submission platform (mortgage application) that were not to be paid off from proceeds or paid off prior to obtaining the mortgage, Ownwell will record them in the "monthly debts" fields so that they're taken into consideration by the automatic qualification calculations.

  • Automatic Data Enrichment: Ownwell enhances your data with:

    • Current mortgage rates (updated daily)

    • Real estate market data (updated monthly)

Smart Defaults and Flagging Client Files for Review

Ownwell automatically applies smart defaults and flags any client records that may need your attention - for example, missing or conflicting information - so you can make any required updates. You can learn more about how this works here.

Ongoing Updates

Ownwell automatically keeps mortgage information up to date as:

  • Interest rates change

  • Clients make regular payments

As long as the imported data is reasonably accurate, you shouldn’t need to update it unless the client makes a prepayment or converts from a variable to a fixed rate.

2. Personalized Monthly Reports

Using this data, Ownwell generates tailored homeownership reports delivered by email each month. These reports are designed to:

  • Spark conversations by highlighting financial opportunities your clients may not know about.

  • Keep you top of mind as their trusted advisor.

⭐️ The goal isn't perfect accuracy.

We aim to provide estimates that are "close enough" to prompt client engagement, and we position the estimates as such in the report with plenty of disclaimers. When clients have questions, you or your referral partners can provide precise numbers.

3. Client Reports

  • Clients receive a welcome email with their first report within 24 hours (often within minutes), explaining what Ownwell is with a link to their first report.

  • Moving forward, they’ll receive reports monthly, typically during the second week of each month.

4. Track Client Engagement

In your Ownwell dashboard, you can:

This insight helps you identify follow-up opportunities to maximize client engagement.

💡 Best Practices from Ownwell's Most Successful Users:

  • Understand how Ownwell uses your data to generate estimates: Spend 15 minutes learning how Ownwell processes mortgage application data to generate home value and mortgage estimates - it can save you hours down the road by preventing misunderstandings and mistakes.

    Here are some key articles to get you started:
    Overview of the Homeownership Report
    How Ownwell Generates Home Price Estimates
    Module Overview - Mortgage Details

  • Announce Ownwell to your database: Sending an introductory email to your clients prior to sending Ownwell reports has been effective in optimizing for high engagement from the get-go.

  • Send your first reports ASAP: Don’t wait for data perfection. Client questions often lead to meaningful conversations where you can add value. You also might be missing out on opportunities available this week if you don't send reports right away!

  • Focus on Conversations, Not Perfect Data: The goal is to generate meaningful discussions, not to have flawless data. Most clients won’t notice or care if their rate is off by 10 bps or their payment by $50 - they want to know: Can I save money? Do I have home equity I can leverage to build wealth or upgrade to a bigger or better home? What’s happening to my home value? Home value is an exception since homeowners often have strong opinions about what their property is worth. But even then, an inaccurate estimate can be an opportunity. If a client questions a value, that’s great - it means they’re engaged. Use it as a chance to offer insights, connect them with a trusted realtor partner, or adjust the value in Ownwell.

  • Proactive Follow-Ups: After sending reports, follow up to ensure clients have seen them. Ask for feedback and remind them in your newsletters (e.g., "Keep an eye out for your March Ownwell report!"). Engagement grows when clients feel supported.

  • Consistency is Key: Success with Ownwell grows over time. Life changes happen unexpectedly - starting a family, relocating for work, etc. The more clients you enroll and the longer they’re engaged, the greater the opportunity to be their go-to advisor.

Multiply Your Database by Offering Ownwell to your Partners and their Clients

Many brokers have clients who are realtors, financial advisors, etc. So when they began receiving homeownership reports from their mortgage professional, it was only a matter of time before they started asking, "How can I offer this to my clients?"

We built Adopt My Mortgage to allow you to do just that.


Adopt My Mortgage is a powerful lead generation tool that lets you extend the value of Ownwell’s personalized insights beyond your existing clients to potential clients. By leveraging your partnerships, you’ll expand your reach to homeowners who aren’t in your database yet!

Referral Clients will receive co-branded reports - featuring both you and the partner each month. You’re featured in each of the mortgage-related sections of the report, and clients can click to start a conversation with you and your partner if they have questions.

You can learn more about Adopt My Mortgage here.

Quick Start Guide


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