Co/LAB Lending

What Co/LAB Lending does

Co/LAB Lending, LLC is a privately held mortgage broker founded in 2014 and headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, operating under NMLS ID #1219828. The firm originates residential and, to a lesser extent, commercial mortgage loans on behalf of multiple wholesale lenders rather than holding balance-sheet risk, and is licensed in 10 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico. Its product catalog spans conventional, government-backed (FHA, VA, USDA), jumbo, non-QM, ITIN, investor, HELOC, home improvement, and small-business/SBA loans, with a stated focus on borrowers who 'don't tick all the boxes'—first-time buyers, self-employed, foreign nationals, and real estate investors.

The company is not a technology business; its infrastructure is a WordPress marketing site, third-party online application portals (colabpurchase.secure-clix.com and colabrefinance.secure-clix.com), and Calendly-scheduled loan officer consultations. Core technology consists of standard CRM and loan origination system tooling common to U.S. mortgage brokers, with no proprietary AI or automation disclosed. Its growth model pairs organic geographic licensing expansion (Erie, Wexford, Harrisburg, San Juan offices) with a franchise program that enables entrepreneurs to open Co/LAB-branded brokerages.

Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based loan origination fees paid by lenders on closed loans, supplemented by commissions from the Flex Offers affiliate program and (prospectively) franchise royalties. The team scaled from a two-person founding operation to roughly 23 members during the COVID-19 pandemic and now sits in the 11-50 firmographic band. No external funding rounds, M&A, or institutional investors are disclosed; the entity is independently owned and operated.

Name

Co/LAB Lending

Legal name

Co/LAB Lending, LLC

Website

https://colablending.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Co/LAB Lending is a privately held mortgage broker (NMLS #1219828) headquartered in Erie, PA, originating residential and commercial loans across 10 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico for first-time buyers, investors, and non-traditional borrowers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Origination Fees: Co/LAB Lending earns revenue from originating mortgage loans for homebuyers and refinancing customers. As a mortgage broker, they work with multiple lenders to find the best mortgage options for clients and earn origination fees from completed transactions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Co/LAB Lending is a mortgage brokerage that connects borrowers with multiple lenders to originate residential home purchase and refinance loans. It offers a broad suite of loan products including FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, Non-QM, ITIN, HELOC, and Investor loans, plus business loans. Services are delivered through licensed loan officers across 10 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, supported by online application portals and a franchise expansion model.

Product overview

Co/LAB Lending is a mortgage broker offering a comprehensive suite of loan products and services. The core offering centers on residential mortgage financing with multiple product categories including FHA Loans, VA Loans, USDA Loans, and conventional Jumbo Home Loans. Additional products include Home Improvement Loans, Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs), and Mortgage Refinance options. The company serves specialized segments through First Time Home Buyers Programs, Government Loans, Investor Loans, Non-QM Loans for non-traditional borrowers, and ITIN Home Loans for those without Social Security Numbers. Supporting services include a Mortgage Calculator tool, Mortgage Consultation, and Franchise Opportunities for entrepreneurs. The company operates primarily across 10 states plus Puerto Rico and provides both purchase and refinance mortgage services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FHA Loans Federal Housing Administration backed mortgage loans with lower down payment requirements, targeted at first-time homebuyers and those with limited credit history. Originated through Co/LAB's licensed loan officers and partner lender network.
• VA Loans Veterans Affairs backed home loans for eligible veterans, active-duty military, and surviving spouses, offering 0% down payment options and competitive government-guaranteed interest rates. Originated through Co/LAB's licensed loan officers.
• USDA Loans U.S. Department of Agriculture rural development loans for low-to-moderate income families in eligible rural areas, offering 100% financing with no down payment required.
• Jumbo Home Loans Mortgage loans exceeding conforming loan limits for high-value properties, providing financing options for luxury home purchases.
• Home Improvement Loans Financing options for renovation and repair projects, allowing homeowners to fund improvements to their existing properties.
• Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs) Revolving credit lines secured by home equity, allowing homeowners to borrow against their property value for various financial needs.
• Mortgage Refinance Refinancing options to replace existing mortgages with new loans, potentially lowering interest rates, accessing cash, or changing loan terms.
• First Time Home Buyers Program Specialized mortgage guidance and loan options designed for first-time homebuyers entering the housing market, bundling education and loan product selection.
• Investor Loans Financing solutions for real estate investors purchasing rental properties or building investment portfolios, including loans held in personal name or LLC.
• Business Loans Commercial lending products including SBA loans, commercial mortgages, and working capital financing for small business purposes.
• Non-QM Loans Non-Qualified Mortgage products for self-employed individuals, real estate investors, and borrowers with non-traditional income sources who may not qualify for standard agency mortgages.
• ITIN Home Loans Mortgage products for individuals using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in place of a Social Security Number, enabling homeownership for borrowers without standard SSN-based qualification.
• Mortgage Consultation Free professional consultation with Co/LAB lending managers to discuss mortgage options and identify suitable loan products for the borrower's situation.
• Franchise Opportunities Franchise program enabling entrepreneurs to open and operate their own Co/LAB Lending-branded mortgage brokerage, providing the brand, operating model, and licensing support for geographic expansion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mortgage qualification decision within 24 hours
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation: Large U.S. mortgage banker and broker with a multi-state retail branch network and a broad product menu including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and non-QM loans. Directly comparable to Co/LAB in offering a full residential product suite with a focus on personal loan officer service.
• PrimeLending: Multi-state retail mortgage lender and broker (a PlainsCapital subsidiary) offering purchase, refinance, government, and home equity loans through licensed loan officers. Highly comparable to Co/LAB in distribution model (licensed officer network) and product breadth, though operating at significantly greater scale.
• New American Funding: National retail mortgage lender serving purchase, refinance, and government loan needs with a focus on Hispanic and multicultural borrowers, including ITIN loan products. Directly comparable to Co/LAB in offering ITIN and non-traditional borrower products alongside conventional government loans.
• Movement Mortgage: National retail mortgage lender operating through licensed loan officers across most U.S. states, with a mission-driven brand and broad conventional plus government product set. Comparable to Co/LAB in loan-officer-led retail distribution and multi-state product coverage.
• Cardinal Financial: National retail mortgage company operating through a network of licensed loan originators offering conventional, government, and specialty products. Comparable to Co/LAB in the loan-officer-driven retail broker/lender model serving purchase and refinance customers.

Broad incumbents

• loanDepot: National retail mortgage lender and wholesale broker (LDMarketing) offering purchase, refinance, HELOC, and government loans across all 50 states. Comparable to Co/LAB in product breadth and broker-channel orientation, though materially larger and partially direct-to-consumer.
• Guaranteed Rate: National retail mortgage lender with a digital platform (Rate.com) and an extensive loan officer network offering conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo products. Comparable to Co/LAB in serving the consumer purchase/refinance market with licensed loan officers across multiple states.
• Rocket Mortgage: Largest U.S. retail mortgage lender (part of Rocket Companies) with a direct-to-consumer digital platform and the Rocket Pro TPO wholesale broker channel. Comparable to Co/LAB on consumer purchase/refinance products; competes both as a direct lender and through wholesale broker relationships with the same lenders Co/LAB taps.

Emerging players

• Better.com: Direct-to-consumer digital mortgage lender offering purchase and refinance products fully online. Comparable to Co/LAB in target customer (U.S. homebuyers and refinancers) and product set, though differentiated by a fully digital, no-loan-officer model that competes for the same borrower pool.

Others

• United Wholesale Mortgage: Largest U.S. wholesale mortgage lender, supplying broker partners including retail brokerages like Co/LAB with conventional, government, and jumbo products. Comparable as the upstream wholesale counterparty in the broker value chain, not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Co/LAB Lending