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Case Study

USA Mortgage: A Case Study in Operational Confidence

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4 min read
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January 19, 2026

Learn how a leading mortgage provider returned to Cotality® SmartFees™ to ensure TRID compliance and seamless LOS integration.

Two mnortgage professionals discuss while looking at charts

Challenge:

USA Mortgage had been a long-time user of SmartFees™ but considered an alternative solution offered by another vendor, driven by potential cost savings. The competing vendor pitched advanced functionality, specifically:

  • A real-time dashboard showing active loan files with potential cost-to-cure.
  • Alerts for redisclosure needs before closing to prevent TRID violations.
  • Integration with their business intelligence platform for synergy.

Unfortunately, this fell short during implementation and gaps became apparent. Certain high-impact borrower-paid fees, including appraisal and other Section 800–type fees, were not fully accounted for in the dashboard’s calculations. As a result, the dashboard did not consistently reflect the types of fee changes that typically trigger redisclosures, limiting its effectiveness for compliance and risk mitigation.

The complexity of fee mapping

Implementation was also highly siloed, requiring USA Mortgage to work with multiple vendor contacts for each fee’s components and functions. This made fee mapping a major challenge and slowed progress during deployment. Fee mapping is the process of aligning fee codes and descriptions between systems—typically the Loan Origination System (LOS)and the fee engine system. Each fee in the LOS (e.g., appraisal, credit report, flood certification) needs to match the correct fee category and tolerance rules in the compliance engine. This is important for multiple reasons including…

  • Preventing TRID violations by ensuring fees are disclosed correctly
  • Supporting cost-to-cure prevention because tolerance checks depend on accurate mapping
  • Reducing the number of redisclosures

As key functionality was missing, USA Mortgage felt they were helping build an unfinished product rather than deploying a ready-to-use solution. This led them back to Cotality® SmartFees™.

Solution:

During the evaluation phase, USA Mortgage benefited from SmartFees remaining fully operational—no disruption during comparison testing meant they could switch seamlessly when needed. This stability, combined with the team’s deep familiarity with the platform, made reengaging SmartFees an easy choice.

Key capabilities driving the decision

Real-time, accurate fee data Automated TRID compliance
Precise closing costs were delivered using live property tax, recording, service, and lender fees—guaranteed rates, not estimates—across 3,000+ counties. Built-in tolerance checks and logic flagged anomalies in real time, reducing risk and manual effort.
Seamless LOS integration Provider network management
With one-click embedding into LOS systems like Encompass Partner Connect, SmartFees pulled loan data and pushed back fee quotes, enabling a unified workflow. USA Mortgage retained control via preferred vendor lists and allocation rules by county, loan type, or property type, while still accessing 12,000+ providers.
Dedicated verification team Responsive support and agility
Ongoing diligence on fee accuracy and vendor data meant USA Mortgage didn’t need to maintain manual fee tables. Requests for new fees or provider updates were processed quickly, minimizing downtime and ensuring accuracy throughout the process.

These capabilities, backed by SmartFees stellar track record for accuracy and dedicated support, provided USA Mortgage the confidence to re-engage without hesitation.

Results

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Operational confidence

USA Mortgage avoided the risk and uncertainty of deploying an unfinished tool by continuing with SmartFees. The platform’s exceptional reliability and real-time cross-checks gave USA Mortgage complete assurance that disclosures and fees consistently met TRID standards. Seamless integrations reinforced compliance confidence, practically eliminating the need for manual oversight and reducing exposure to costly errors.

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Efficiency gains

SmartFees delivered measurable efficiency improvements by automating rate and fee retrieval, eliminating time-consuming manual lookups. Quick edits through the self-service vendor portal and LOS integration accelerated provider updates, while one-click refreshes for pre-qualification and full quotes reduced average turnaround times to under a minute. These capabilities streamlined workflows and freed up staff to focus on higher-value tasks.

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Cost control and compliance

With SmartFees built-in tolerance logic, USA Mortgage significantly reduced redisclosure risk and avoided unnecessary cost-to-cure expenses. The platform provided visibility into potential tolerance violations and early alerts, enabling proactive corrections that protected margins and compliance. Guarantees on fee accuracy across thousands of counties further eliminated hidden costs and safeguarded profitability.

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Relationship value

Beyond technology, Cotality (through SmartFees) offered USA Mortgage a valued partnership. Ongoing support—including fee verification and access to product expertise—fostered trust and operational stability. A consistent, responsive team, including dedicated contacts, ensured smooth operations and rapid issue resolution. USA Mortgage valued that SmartFees delivered not just software, but a collaborative relationship focused on service excellence.

We never had complaints with SmartFees. The platform works, and the team behind it makes all the difference.

SmartFees has been a trusted partner for years. Their responsiveness and reliability make all the difference.

We explored alternatives, but SmartFees proven accuracy and exceptional support brought us back.

The SmartFees team delivers quick updates and outstanding service—giving us confidence every day.

Familiarity, functionality, and fantastic support: SmartFees checks all the boxes for USA Mortgage.

SmartFees isn’t just a platform—it’s a partnership that drives efficiency and compliance.

Timothy Spencer
USA Mortgage
Finance & Mortgage