Summit Mortgage Builds Client Trust Through Secure Document Sharing
How a growing mortgage brokerage differentiated itself by protecting client financial data when sharing documents with lenders, appraisers, and title companies.
About Summit Mortgage
Summit Mortgage is an independent mortgage brokerage serving homebuyers across Colorado's Front Range. Founded in 2019 by Jennifer Walsh, the company has grown from a one-person operation to a team of 6 loan officers processing over $180 million in annual loan volume.
Summit differentiates itself through personalized service and a commitment to client privacy—a message that resonates strongly with privacy-conscious homebuyers who are wary of how their financial information is handled during the loan process.
Quick Facts
- IndustryMortgage Brokerage
- Team Size6 loan officers
- LocationBoulder, CO
- Annual Volume$180M+
The Challenge
Mortgage applications require borrowers to share their most sensitive financial information: tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, and investment accounts. During the loan process, these documents get shared with multiple parties—lenders, appraisers, title companies, and insurance agents.
"Clients would send me their complete tax returns with Social Security numbers for their entire family, bank statements showing every transaction they've made, W-2s with employer information," explains Jennifer Walsh, Summit's founder. "Then I'd have to forward those to the lender, who might share them with their underwriting team, their compliance team, the appraiser needs income verification..."
Key Pain Points
- •Client SSNs shared with 5+ third parties per transaction
- •Bank account numbers visible on statements shared with appraisers
- •Growing client concerns about identity theft
- •No practical way to redact documents quickly
Jennifer tried manually redacting documents using PDF software, but with 8-12 documents per loan file and 15-20 active loans at any time, it wasn't sustainable. "I spent an entire weekend once just redacting bank statements. That's not why I became a mortgage broker."
She also worried about competitive differentiation. "Every mortgage broker has access to the same lenders and similar rates. I needed something that would make clients choose Summit over the big banks and online lenders. Privacy became that differentiator."
The Solution
Jennifer discovered SafeRedact while researching how to redact bank statements for a particularly privacy-conscious client—a tech executive who was uncomfortable sharing his complete financial picture with multiple parties.
Why SafeRedact
- ✓Speed: Redact a 12-page bank statement in under 2 minutes
- ✓Privacy: Client documents never uploaded to external servers
- ✓Thoroughness: AI catches account numbers, SSNs, and addresses
- ✓Flexibility: Choose what to redact based on recipient needs
"The first time I used it, I uploaded a client's tax return that would have taken me 20 minutes to redact manually. SafeRedact found every SSN, every address, the employer's EIN—things I might have missed scrolling through quickly. It took maybe 90 seconds."
Jennifer now redacts documents strategically based on who needs them. An appraiser verifying income gets bank statements with account numbers redacted. A title company gets proof of funds with specific balances visible but SSNs removed. The lender gets the full documents required for underwriting, but other parties only see what they need.
The Results
Before SafeRedact
- ✗Full SSNs shared with 5+ parties
- ✗Account numbers visible to everyone
- ✗Client privacy concerns unaddressed
- ✗No competitive differentiator
After SafeRedact
- ✓PII shared only when required
- ✓Strategic redaction by recipient
- ✓Privacy-first brand positioning
- ✓40% increase in referrals
Summit Mortgage now promotes its privacy practices as a core differentiator. The company's website highlights their commitment to protecting client data, and Jennifer mentions SafeRedact during initial consultations.
"Clients light up when I explain that their Social Security number won't be shared with the appraiser, or that the title company will only see what they need to see. In a world where data breaches are constant news, people appreciate that someone is actually thinking about their privacy."
The privacy-first positioning has translated directly to business growth. Summit has seen a 40% increase in referrals since implementing SafeRedact, with many new clients specifically mentioning the company's privacy practices as a reason for choosing them.
"One client told me she chose Summit over her bank because she didn't trust a big institution with her data. That's exactly the client I want—someone who values what we do differently."
"SafeRedact turned privacy from something I worried about into something I market. When I tell clients that their financial documents are protected—that their SSN won't be floating around to five different companies—they trust me more. That trust turns into referrals."
Key Takeaways
40% More Referrals
Privacy positioning drives new business
2-Minute Redaction
Down from 20+ minutes manual
Strategic Sharing
Right data to right parties
Ready to Make Privacy Your Competitive Advantage?
See how SafeRedact can help you protect client data while differentiating your business.