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IRVINE, Calif. and AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today loanDepot announced an agreement with OJO Labs, Inc. to act as the mortgage provider at the launch of their machine-powered assistant known as "OJO." By matching OJO's leading AI technology with loanDepot's digital lending platform, mello^TM, the combined offering will allow house hunters to access real estate and mortgage information, and get pre-qualified, through an entirely digital, mobile-first experience.   

"The modern consumer begins their home search journey online and often several months ahead of when they expect to buy," said Anthony Hsieh, loanDepot CEO and Chairman.  "Knowing when and how to introduce a digital mortgage pre-qualification process during that journey is key to delivering a better experience.  OJO's focus on developing predictive insights, specific to each individual, will allow us to do just that." 

By creating a first-of-its-kind consumer digital experience for real estate and mortgage, the combined solution is expected to be a powerful tool for local real estate agents and loan officers as they service today's consumers, including the millennial homebuyers. Both OJO and loanDepot understand the need for experienced professionals with local knowledge, and are committed to developing digital tools that help these professionals thrive as consumer behavior continues to evolve. 

Powered by a proprietary artificial intelligence platform combining the best-in-class machine learning techniques, real time data training, and human experts, OJO was built to meet consumers wherever they are in the home buying journey by delivering micro experiences that are personalized and provide immediate value.

"During our search for a mortgage partner it was clear that loanDepot invests in technology and focuses on the customer experience in a way many others do not.  We are excited to work together to continually develop processes and tools that drive value for real estate agents and loan officers," said John Berkowitz, co-founder of OJO Labs.

loanDepot has invested more than $80 million creating the mello technology platform. It enables the company to integrate powerful technology, such as OJO, into its intuitive, web-based customer portal and a state-of-the-art, mobile point-of-sale system – creating a fully-digital mortgage loan application experience. 

"When we began developing mello more than two years ago, we knew having proprietary technology would be integral to partnering with others who were developing cutting-edge technologies and new customer experiences," Hsieh added.  "Our launch with OJO Labs is a perfect example of this."   

In September, Realogy Holding Corp. entered into an agreement with OJO Labs, Inc. to provide its leading-edge, machine-powered OJO assistant to real estate brokers across select markets affiliated with Realogy's renowned consumer brands, including Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Corcoran®, ERA®, and Sotheby's International Realty®.

The announcement coincides with the Mortgage Bankers Association's annual convention where real estate finance professionals meet to keep abreast of the latest industry trends and news. This year's event is held Oct. 22-25 in Denver.

About loanDepot 
loanDepot is the nation's fifth largest retail mortgage lender and second largest nonbank consumer lender. The company was the first nonbank lender to offer home, personal, and home equity loans. In 2017, the company surpassed $110 billion in funding in just seven years since its founding. NMLS # 174457

About OJO Labs, Inc. OJO Labs is on a mission to fundamentally improve the way people make their most important decisions through the fusion of machine and human intelligence. The company developed a unique, AI-based technology that can conduct text conversations with consumers at scale. By combining natural language understanding with data and personalization, the product allows for consumers to deeply engage in a purchase process prior to interacting with a salesperson. OJO Labs is backed by the two most active VC firms in Texas and was recently recognized as an Austin A-List and 50 On Fire winner. The OJO team has decades of combined experience scaling businesses together and has deep experience in engineering, data science, product development and operations.

SOURCE loanDepot