Course Offerings

Success in mortgage lending starts with a high-performing team.

Arch MI trains mortgage professionals to compete in today’s fast-paced lending environment. Our Customer Training Program is a best-in-class educational curriculum teaching the key skills, techniques and best practices needed to build your team’s confidence and grow your share of originations.

Arch MI offers a mix of live and on-demand webinars and customized on-site training.

Our featured live webinars focus on timely subjects, usually tied to recent regulatory changes, real-time events or current needs — like how to navigate virtual meetings. Live webinars are valuable because they happen at a scheduled time and are a fun way to interact virtually with an expert trainer who engages participants and fields questions. We also offer a selection of on-demand webinars, also up-to-date, but that can be watched at your convenience. If you have a group for in-person, on-site training, we can provide that, too.

To request on-site training, please contact your Arch MI Account Manager.

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Learn more about all of the training courses Arch MI has to offer!

Available Courses

Select a course category below to see what topics are offered under each and how to access:

Mortgage Insurance Courses

An Overview of MI

A Path to Homeownership

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

Learn about Mortgage Insurance (MI): What it is, how it works, why it provides value to lenders, investors, borrowers and how it helps build a path to homeownership!

Appraisal Courses

Analyzing Appraisals for Single Family Residences

Identifying the Key Areas of the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report

Audience: Loan Processors and Underwriters

Identifies the key areas to focus on in the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report. In reviewing each section, you will develop a broader understanding of the appraisal and the Sales Comparison Approach.

Business Development Courses

Communicating Competitive Advantages

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

Competitive advantages are the reasons people do business with you that go beyond low rates and fees, but how do you describe things like excellent service and trust without sounding like everyone else? Learn the two things customers need to trust to do business with you, what bothers borrowers and Realtors the most about the loan process, and how to separate yourself and sound different from the competition.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Express and Impress

Leadership Lessons from “America’s Greatest Thinker”

Audience: Loan Originators, Mortgage Management Professionals

Blaine Rada leads a session on how to communicate more effectively, inspire action and get results, in order to build leadership at work and successful dynamics at home. A 35-year-plus mortgage industry veteran, Blaine was twice named “America’s Greatest Thinker” at the Great American Think-Off, arguably the most quintessentially American event that nobody’s heard of.

His unique seminar covers:

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Five Steps to Better Goal Setting and Planning

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

General Dwight Eisenhower said, “Plans are nothing. Planning is everything.” While many things can affect a plan (COVID-19, anyone?), the act of planning is where the value is. Learn the five-step GRASS method, three common mistakes to avoid and the most important (and sometimes the most difficult) thing your plan should include.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Habits of High Achievers

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

Success leaves clues. Not surprisingly, many of the traits shared by high-achievers are common-sense in theory, but not necessarily common practice (otherwise, everyone would be a high-achiever, right?). Discover, the keys to having your best year ever, the most important (yet often missing) part of the formula for success, and disciplines you often don’t think about.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Journey to Success in Business and Life

Strategies for Achievement Learned on a 500-Mile Trek Across Spain

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

This unique professional development opportunity provides insights on how to grow and expand your skills to achieve more happiness and success at home and work. Arch MI’s accredited public speaker and industry expert, Blaine Rada, will share his story of personal challenge and valuable lessons gained during his month-long trek across Spain, unplugged from modern life, technology and the nine-to-five routine. This stimulating presentation will get you thinking through the next steps to your best year yet.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

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Seizing Market Share

Creating Separation Between You and Your Competitors

Audience: Loan Originators, Managers and Marketing Staff

Learn how to differentiate yourself from the competition and gain market share by becoming the best choice for mortgages among borrowers and Realtors ® . Enhance your reputation by aligning your market, message and media. Discover untapped markets for additional business, understand the importance of content marketing, know what your borrowers value in a lender, create unique competitive advantages and examine a framework for selecting Realtor partners.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

(SMART)² Communicating

10 Keys to More Effective Presentation Skills

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

Whether you communicate in-person or online, with spoken words or written words, delivering a clear and compelling message is more challenging than ever. In this session, you’ll learn:

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Ten Tips That Turn the Tide in Your Favor

Ideas for Success in a Changing Market

Audience: Loan Originators and Mortgage Management Professionals

Whether you’ve been in the business for decades or have just taken on a new role, you’ll benefit from 10 tips for communicating effectively with mortgage referral partners to gain a regular stream of business.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

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Income Analysis

AMITRAC Overview

Audience: Loan Originators, Processors and Underwriters

The AMITRAC (Arch MI Tax Return Analysis Calculator) is an interactive and intuitive spreadsheet that follows the SAM method of tax return analysis. Learn how to navigate the AMITRAC in this short webinar

Business Tax Returns 101

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Underwriters

In this course, we will introduce the various business structures, the tax forms used to report business income and demonstrate how income flows from business to personal tax returns.

Business Tax Returns 201

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Underwriters

In this course, we will dive into the fundamentals of self-employed borrower income calculation, including allowable add-backs and required deductions. We will also review the principles of profit and loss statement requirements, net operating loss carryover considerations and person debts paid by the business.

Suggested Prerequisite: Business Tax Returns 101

Business Tax Returns 301

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Underwriters

In this course, we will focus on the unique considerations of Sole Proprietorships and Corporations. We’ll break down mileage depreciation, and how to know if you can include an additional add-back (Schedule C), and review the different requirements for utilizing Corporate cash flow.

Suggested Prerequisite: Business Tax Returns 201

Business Tax Returns 302

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Underwriters

Confused about K-1s? Want to gain a better understanding of earnings, distributions and liquidity analysis? This is the course for you! During this session, we will break down K-1s for both Partnerships and S Corporations and demonstrate how to calculate qualifying income.

Suggested Prerequisite: Business Tax Returns 201

Clarify the Confusion

Understanding Self-Employed Borrowers and Business Tax Returns

Audience: Loan Originators, Sr. Processors and Underwriters

Enhance your understanding of self-employed borrowers and develop an understanding of the components of business tax returns. Allowable add-backs and required deductions will be discussed, and we’ll demonstrate how to calculate income from various business structures, introducing you to the Arch MI Tax Return Analysis Calculator (AMITRAC), the industry’s most user-friendly Schedule Analysis form.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Explore the Essentials

Reviewing and Understanding the Basics of Tax Returns

Audience: Loan Originators, Jr. Processors and Underwriters

Learn about the various tax returns and forms in this introductory class. Various income sources, from Social Security to interest income and capital gains, will be discussed as well as income trending and non-taxable income. You’ll also review business tax returns and learn the differences between the business structures.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

“I” is for Income

Audience: Loan Processors and Junior Underwriters

Correctly calculating income is fundamental to insuring a member qualifies for a loan. In this mini-workshop we will discuss the basics of income calculation, including base, bonus, overtime and commission. Bring your calculator and be ready to practice what you learn.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Income Fundamentals 101

The First Step in Understanding Acceptable Qualifying Income

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Jr. Underwriters

In this first Back to Basics course, we review acceptable income for mortgage qualification, including employment and non-employment sources. We will also discuss income continuance (when support documentation is required) and taxable vs. non-taxable income.

Contact your Account Manager for more information about this course.

Income Fundamentals 201

The Components of Paystubs and W-2s

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Jr. Underwriters

In this second course of the Back to Basics Income Fundamentals series, we review documentation requirements, explore the components of paystubs and W-2s, discuss how to determine pay cycle frequency and provide an overview of mandatory payroll deductions.

Contact your Account Manager for more information about this course.

Income Fundamentals 202

Calculating Employment Income

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors, Jr. Underwriters

In this third course of the Back to Basics Income Fundamentals series, we will apply the knowledge gained from Income Fundamentals 201 to accurately calculate qualifying income from paystubs, including base pay, overtime, bonuses and commission.

Contact your Account Manager for more information about this course.

Master the Mystery

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors and Underwriters

Learn the fundamentals of navigating through personal tax returns, including key components of the 1040 including Schedule 1, Schedule B, Schedule D and Schedule E. Discover when and why tax returns are needed, and how to recognize when tax returns are complete. Understand income trending and be introduced to the Arch MI Tax Return Analysis Calculator (AMITRAC).

Mortgage Skills

Conquer the Components

Audience: Loan Processors, Loan Processors and Jr. Underwriters

Get an overview of The Three Cs of mortgage banking including income/employment, assets/reserves and ratios. Understand the factors that make up a credit score, and the fundamentals of mortgage risk.

Essentials of Mortgage Lending (1 or 2-Day Course)

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors and Underwriters

1-Day Course:
This one-day hands-on fundamentals course delivers information that you can use to be a successful mortgage industry team member. Modules focus on the Three Cs of mortgage lending, including credit, income, assets and collateral. New to the industry? Need a refresher? This course will help you strengthen your mortgage skills and knowledge.

2-Day Course:
This two-day course, designed with industry newcomers in mind, provides an overview of mortgage lending from A to Z. Modules range from industry terminology and property types, to the basics of understanding credit, income, the loan application and more! Let us help you build, strengthen and educate your team.

Please note: There is a nominal fee for this course. Contact your Arch MI Account Manager for details.

Available formats: On-Site Training (Contact your Account Manager)

Fannie Mae HomeReady

Audience: Loan Originators and Marketing Staff

Expand your market of borrowers by learning the key points and unique features of the Fannie Mae HomeReady ® Program. An alternative to FHA financing, HomeReady is designed for creditworthy, low-to moderate income borrowers and includes expanded eligibility for financing homes in designated low-income, minority and disaster-impacted communities.

Loan Processing Using the URLA/Form 1003

Audience: Loan Originators and Loan Processors

Learn how to use the redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application or URLA (also known as Fannie Mae Form 1003 and Freddie Mac Form 65), to process your loan application. Understand what documents to gather, how to review and verify required documentation, and prepare the loan application for underwriting. Use Arch MI resources to assist you in your loan processing review.

Mortgage Fraud

Mortgage Fraud

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors and Underwriters

Understand the impact of mortgage fraud, how to spot it and how to prevent it. Mortgage fraud has been around a long time and it continues to be one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States. With this course, acquire an increased awareness of the sources of fraud, learn ways to prevent fraudulent mortgage loans and discover how to effectively identify “Red Flags”.

Navigating the New URLA

Audience: Mortgage Professionals

Learn how to navigate the new Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), also known as the Fannie Mae Form 1003 and Freddie Mac Form 65. This session will provide an overview of this new industry-standard loan application, review its components and highlight key features and differences between it and the loan application used before it. You will also be pointed to helpful resources that you can utilize.

Contact your Account Manager for more information about this course.

Trended Credit Data

Audience: Loan Originators, Loan Processors and Underwriters

What is Trended Credit Data? In less than 10 minutes, we will define it, discuss Desktop Underwriter ® as it relates to trended credit data and talk about the impact that trended credit data will have on Arch MI-insured loans.

What Starts Well, Ends Well

Audience: Loan Originators

Learn simple techniques you can use to set loans up for success. From setting realistic expectations, to understanding what drives borrower satisfaction, you’ll discover how to invest your time and effort for maximum return. As an added bonus, you’ll learn how to overcome common loan challenges and a formula for getting exceptions approved.