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Lightning News Insider
April 2025 - A Message to Loan Officers Navigating
an Unpredictable Market
The current market—rising rates, economic uncertainty, shifting buyer
sentiment—can feel like uncharted territory. But we also know this:
loan officers who lead with transparency, speed, and value will
continue to win trust and close deals.
That’s why we’re focused on giving you tools that help you respond
faster, explain options clearly, and build confidence with your clients.
In a volatile market, your guidance matters more than ever.
Opportunities are still out there. Purchase demand is steady in many areas, and when rates move again—as they always do—being ready is key. We’re here to help you stay sharp, stand out, and stay ahead.
— The Lightning Estimates Team
New! Refinance Break Even Calculations
When creating an estimate for a refinance there’s now an option for “Show Refinance Break Even" on the Estimate tab. When enabled you can enter the P&I and MI (if applicable) for the prior loan. It will then show the monthly savings compared to the old loan and the number of months to break even.
New! Shortcut to Add Points and Credits
You can now enter Discount Points or Lender Credits right on the Payment tab. No more forgetting to add them under Fees — we’ve made it easier by keeping everything tied to the rate in one place.
Early Access to Features Coming Soon
We’re experimenting with cool features we haven’t rolled out just yet. Interested? Let us know—we can enable them for you, so you can try them out. Send your request.
1 - Loan Templates = Big Time Savers
Build faster, more consistent estimates with Loan Templates — customizable presets that fill in loan purpose, property details, and standard fees in one click. Whether you’re working with a brokerage, a builder, or just want to speed up repeat scenarios, Loan Templates help you:
✔ Reduce manual entry
✔ Eliminate missed details
✔ Stay consistent across loan scenarios
Set it up once. Use it whenever you need it. Loan Templates work alongside your existing fee templates for even more flexibility.
2 - Real Estate Tax Math? We Got You.
Just punch in a tax percentage — we’ll handle the rest. No need to guess or enter a dollar amount. Example: 1% of a $523,000 home = $5,230/year or $435.83/month. Perfect for ballpark estimates when your client is still house hunting.
3 – Pick Your Own Highlight Color – Make Key Figures Pop
Spotlight the bottom line for your borrowers. Choose the highlight color of your choice to call out “Monthly Payment” and “Cash to Close” on your PDFs <include screenshot Tyler provided?).
Is there a feature you’d like to see? Let us know!