Beyond Trigger Leads: Why Your Support Matters More Than Ever
The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act is now law. Trigger leads will be banned by March 2026. Mission accomplished, right?
Not even close.
If you're thinking the BAC's work is done because we achieved our founding priority, let's be clear: we didn't build this organization to pass a single bill. We built it to become the institutional voice that mortgage brokers have always needed but never had.
The One-Trick Pony Problem
Here's what keeps me up at night: brokers celebrating the trigger lead victory and then walking away, assuming the work is finished. That we were a single-issue organization that achieved its purpose and can now fade into the background.
Nothing could be further from the truth, or more dangerous for the broker channel.
What's Coming in 2026 and Beyond
While we were fighting for trigger leads, we were also building relationships, developing expertise, and positioning for the next set of challenges that will define whether brokers thrive or just survive:
LO Comp Reform is actively being discussed at the CFPB. The regulations were written during the 2008 financial crisis: hastily assembled rules that made sense in panic mode but create unnecessary constraints today. The arbitrary 3% compensation cap doesn't just limit broker income; it creates underserved markets where brokers can't profitably operate. Rural areas, credit-challenged borrowers, and smaller loan amounts all suffer because the economics don't work under current rules.
Credit Report Costs have increased over 400% in recent years with no market-based justification. We're working on multiple approaches: regulatory pressure to bring costs down, and systemic changes that reduce the number of times credit reports get pulled during the mortgage process. Why should consumers get their credit pulled 3.5 times on average for a single mortgage? Give borrowers control of their credit reports, and suddenly a $100+ report becomes effectively $28.
GSE Reform is being discussed in Washington right now. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac going fully private could mean interest rates increasing 25-100 basis points for consumers, massive lobbying power unleashed into our market, and potential domination of non-QM lending by government-sponsored behemoths. We need to be in that conversation, not reacting after decisions are made.
These aren't hypothetical future problems. These are active issues where decisions are being made right now, with or without broker input.
The Financial Reality: Advocacy Requires Resources
For the past three years, the BAC has primarily relied on corporate partnerships to fund our work. Our lender partners (EPM, Pennymac, The Loan Store, Rocket Pro, PRMG, Freedom Mortgage, Newfi, Gold Star, and West Capital) made the trigger lead victory possible through their financial support.
But sustainable advocacy can't depend solely on corporate funding. Here's why:
First, corporate partners need to see community support behind the organization they're funding. When lenders write five-figure checks, they need confidence that brokers are invested in the mission, not just benefiting from someone else's investment.
Second, individual broker support provides financial stability. Monthly recurring donations (even small ones) create predictable funding that supports long-term strategy rather than reactive crisis management.
Third, and most importantly: brokers need to fund broker advocacy. If we want independence to fight for broker priorities (even when they conflict with lender interests or industry consensus) we need a funding base that reflects that independence.
The November-December Push: Building Sustainable Support
Starting mid-November, we're launching a comprehensive fundraising campaign focused on building recurring monthly donor support from individual brokers. Not one-time large donations (though we'll gratefully accept them), but sustainable $5-$25 monthly commitments that create long-term financial stability.
Five dollars monthly. That's one Starbucks drink. That's less than you spend on countless business subscriptions you barely use. That's the cost of having professional advocacy fighting for your interests 365 days a year.
We're not asking you to fund lavish offices or executive salaries. We're asking you to invest in:
Continued presence on Capitol Hill with ongoing meetings and relationship building
Professional policy analysis and strategic planning
Coalition coordination and industry partnership management
State-level advocacy support in all 50 states
Grassroots organizing tools and member engagement
Legal and regulatory expertise when navigating complex policy challenges
The Momentum Opportunity
The trigger lead victory created momentum and credibility that doesn't come around often. Members of Congress know who we are now. Industry partners take us seriously. The media recognizes us as the broker voice.
That momentum has a shelf life. If we celebrate trigger leads and then go quiet for a year before the next crisis, we squander the institutional capital we've built. But if we use this moment to secure sustained funding and continued engagement, we become the permanent fixture in Washington that brokers have always needed.
Your Role in What Comes Next
Over the next six weeks, you'll see increased focus on fundraising across our communications. We'll be direct about the need and specific about the ask. We'll celebrate our corporate partners who make this work possible. We'll highlight brokers who are already providing monthly support.
This isn't a guilt trip or a desperate plea. It's a strategic investment opportunity: help fund the advocacy infrastructure that protects your business and advances your industry.
Trigger leads proved what organized brokers can accomplish. LO Comp, credit costs, and GSE reform will prove whether we can sustain that success or were just a one-hit wonder.
The choice is yours. Five dollars monthly. Sustainable advocacy. Lasting impact.