Company recognized for innovation in home equity and mortgage lending technology
AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire – National News/ — FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, has been named a 2026 HousingWire TECH100 winner. HousingWire selected FirstClose for its end-to-end lending platform that combines real-time property intelligence with automated workflows to help lenders accelerate decisioning, reduce operational friction and close loans faster. More than 225 financial institutions use the FirstClose platform to support home equity and mortgage lending nationwide.
“We’re honored to be recognized by HousingWire as a 2026 TECH100 winner,” said Tedd Smith, CEO of FirstClose. “This award underscores how critical speed and intelligence have become in today’s lending environment. By bringing real-time property data and streamlined workflows together, we help lenders simplify complex processes and better serve borrowers at a time when efficiency and trust matter more than ever.”
In 2025, FirstClose continued to advance its lending platform with expanded automation, real-time eligibility and decisioning capabilities, and a growing integration ecosystem supporting credit, valuation, title and pricing services. The company strengthened its pricing and workflow capabilities through a certified integration with Optimal Blue’s product and pricing engine, helping lenders shorten home equity and mortgage closing timelines and improve transparency for borrowers. FirstClose supports home equity and mortgage lending operations with a single, unified workflow that helps lenders move faster while maintaining consistency and control.
FirstClose customers have supported $129 billion in funded loans since 2015. Lenders using the platform’s digital prequalification tools report increased application volume, faster approvals and significant reductions in closing timelines, reflecting the platform’s impact on operational efficiency and borrower experience.
“Technology is no longer a nice-to-have, and it’s not defined by partnership announcements that fail to deliver meaningful progress,” said Clayton Collins, CEO of HW Media. “Today, technology is the business strategy. The right tech stack now determines who can recruit top talent, gain market share, and expand margins. The 2026 Tech100 honorees bring both innovation and impact. They’re growing, their teams are winning, and they’re pulling ahead in the race for scale and consumer relevance.”
HousingWire’s TECH100 award seeks to highlight the most innovative technology companies across the housing sector. To view the complete list of winners, visit https://www.housingwire.com/articles/announcing-the-2026-tech100-mortgage-winners/
About FirstClose
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, FirstClose, Inc. provides fintech solutions to HELOC and mortgage lenders nationwide. The company’s mission is to increase profitability and reduce costs for mortgage lenders. FirstClose makes this possible through offering systems and relationships that enable lenders to assist their borrowers more effectively, reduce closing costs, and ultimately shorten closing times. For more information, visit firstclose.com.
About HousingWire
HousingWire is an information services company that provides unique data and research, respected business journalism and must-attend events for housing leaders to use to advance their understanding and business outcomes. Our vision is a world in which housing leaders have a complete view of the housing market, and a broad community of peers with whom they can connect. We are committed to delivering the data, analytics, media, and events that advance this vision.
Because housing is too important for narrow perspectives and missed connections. Informed housing leaders are better housing leaders. A connected housing industry is a better housing industry. And the full picture always reveals new opportunities.
Learn More: https://www.firstclose.com/
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NEWS SOURCE: FirstClose. Story was sourced from a press release issued by Send2Press® and used with permission. View the original story at: https://www.send2press.com/wire/firstclose-named-a-2026-housingwire-tech100-winner/
