Mat Ishbia: Mortgage Brokers Are Dominating as Market Share Climbs to 27.88%
A LinkedIn post from United Wholesale Mortgage President and CEO Mat Ishbia says mortgage brokers are continuing to expand their share of the home loan market, with broker market share rising from 14.61% in 2016 to 27.88% in 2025. The post argues that brokers have gained ground because they can offer borrowers a faster, easier process and lower rates than many retail lenders.
By Christopher Salem · 6 min read
Broker market share has nearly doubled in less than a decade. The message is clear: borrowers are increasingly choosing brokers for speed, ease, and lower rates, and the broker channel is becoming one of the most powerful forces in mortgage lending.
Mortgage Broker Market Share Has Nearly Doubled
Mat Ishbia’s post highlights a strong long-term rise in broker market share, backed by a chart showing steady growth over the past several years before reaching 27.88% in 2025.
Here is the trend shown in the post:
Year | Broker Market Share |
|---|---|
2016 | 14.61% |
2017 | Higher than 2016 |
2018 | Higher than 2017 |
2019 | Near 20% |
2020 | Slight dip |
2021 | Above 20% |
2022 | Slight dip |
2023 | Above 23% |
2024 | Above 27% |
2025 | 27.88% |
From 2016 to 2025, that is a gain of 13.27 percentage points. In practical terms, the broker channel has nearly doubled its market share in under 10 years.
Why Mortgage Brokers Keep Growing
According to Ishbia’s post, the answer comes down to what borrowers value most:
Faster process
Easier experience
Lower rates than almost any retail lender
That combination is powerful in any market, but especially in a housing environment where affordability matters more than ever. Borrowers want efficiency. They want competitive pricing. They want options. Mortgage brokers are increasingly meeting that demand.
Because brokers can connect borrowers with wholesale lending options, they often provide more flexibility and more competitive structures than a single retail lender can offer on its own. That model appears to be resonating in a major way.
What This Means for Borrowers
For homebuyers and homeowners, the rise of mortgage brokers means more consumers are prioritizing value and choice when financing a home.
Borrowers working with a broker may benefit from:
Access to multiple loan options
Competitive rates
Faster turnaround times
A more streamlined process
Better support for unique borrower scenarios
As the broker channel grows, consumers may also benefit from stronger competition across the mortgage industry overall. That can encourage better pricing, better service, and better execution across all lending channels.
What This Means for the Mortgage Industry
This shift is not minor. A move from 14.61% to 27.88% signals a major transformation in mortgage distribution.
That has broad implications:
Wholesale lending is becoming more influential.
Mortgage brokers are proving they are a leading channel, not a niche one.
Retail lenders face increasing pressure to compete on speed, service, and pricing.
Real estate professionals may place even greater value on lenders and brokers who can close quickly and reliably.
Loan originators may increasingly see the broker model as a strong path for growth.
The chart shared by Ishbia reinforces a larger industry trend: mortgage brokers are winning market share because they are delivering what borrowers want.
Key Numbers at a Glance
Metric | Value |
|---|---|
Broker market share in 2016 | 14.61% |
Broker market share in 2025 | 27.88% |
Percentage-point increase | 13.27 |
Growth trend | Nearly doubled |
Why This Story Matters Now
Mortgage market share is one of the clearest indicators of where borrowers are finding value. When a channel nearly doubles its share over a decade, that is not noise. That is momentum.
The broker channel’s rise suggests that speed, simplicity, and pricing power are becoming even more important in mortgage lending. It also shows that brokers are not just participating in the market. They are shaping it.
For industry professionals, this is a signal worth watching closely. For borrowers, it is a reminder that the mortgage landscape is evolving and that more consumers are turning to brokers as a trusted path to financing.
FAQ
What is mortgage broker market share in 2025?
According to the chart shared by Mat Ishbia, mortgage broker market share reached 27.88% in 2025.
How much has broker market share grown since 2016?
The chart shows broker market share rising from 14.61% in 2016 to 27.88% in 2025, an increase of 13.27 percentage points.
Why are mortgage brokers gaining market share?
Mat Ishbia says brokers are growing because they offer a faster and easier process and lower rates than almost any retail lender.
Why do borrowers choose mortgage brokers?
Borrowers often choose brokers for competitive pricing, more options, and a smoother path to closing.
What does this mean for the mortgage industry?
It means the broker channel is becoming a larger and more influential part of the mortgage market, with growing importance for borrowers, lenders, and real estate professionals.
The Bottom Line
Mortgage brokers are gaining real momentum, and the latest numbers shared by Mat Ishbia show just how significant that growth has become. Rising from 14.61% market share in 2016 to 27.88% in 2025, brokers have nearly doubled their footprint in the mortgage business.
That is more than a trend line. It is a sign that borrowers increasingly value the combination of speed, simplicity, and lower rates that the broker channel can provide.
Call to Action
Follow Mortgage.News for more mortgage industry coverage, market-share updates, and housing finance analysis. If you are exploring a home loan or refinance, talk to a lender or mortgage broker to compare your options and find the best fit for your financial goals.
Sources
LinkedIn post screenshot attributed to Mat Ishbia, President & CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, provided by user
Chart in screenshot citing: “IMF Direct Funded, 2025”
Closing Reflection
The mortgage market rewards the channels that best serve borrowers, and this latest market-share milestone shows brokers are earning a larger role in home financing every year. As competition intensifies and consumers demand more value, the broker channel’s rise stands out as one of the biggest stories in mortgage lending today.