The New York Times
When Jeff and Zizi Patmont, both 30, found a house they could afford in the competitive suburban markets outside San Francisco, they had very little time to make an offer. As first-time homebuyers, they needed proof of financing fast. So, like most people of their generation, they turned to the Internet for help.
Through a friend, Mr. Patmont found an online lender called Social Finance, better known as SoFi, and was able to educate himself about the mortgage process on its website. After providing some employment information — he is a portfolio manager, his wife a nurse — they received a prequalification in less than 15 minutes. He got a call from a loan officer a short time later, uploaded the documents necessary for preapproval and submitted a formal offer within a week.
