CHICAGO, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Wholesale broker customers of Charter One
 Mortgage Corp., a full-service residential mortgage lender, will now have
 access to "Broker's Choice," a new appraisal management system that offers
 online ordering, quality control and electronic delivery of appraisal reports.
 Designed to reduce the time and cost associated with the underwriting process,
 Broker's Choice provides originators with the flexibility to select their own
 appraiser and manage their pipeline by logging onto AI Direct Connection's
 Internet-based system.  Backed by the Appraisal Institute, AI Direct
 Connection is an appraisal management company with national coverage through
 the association's 18,000 member appraisers.
     The ordering process only takes minutes by logging onto AI Direct
 Connection at www.aidirectconnection.com , where the broker can select or
 designate an appraiser and submit a request.  AI Direct Connection will engage
 that appraiser, apply Charter One's collateral guidelines to the report for
 quality control purposes, and offer electronic delivery to both the broker and
 Charter One.  Brokers will be able to track and manage their pipeline 24 hours
 a day online and electronically communicate to all parties to the transaction.
     "AI Direct Connection gives our brokers the ability to maintain their
 local relationships with appraisers, while providing them with a tool to
 better manage the process," said Tom Gerity, Operations Supervisor for Charter
 One Mortgage.  "With the Broker's Choice product, we will no longer require an
 additional review once the report is delivered.  That will save our brokers
 time and cost while actually strengthening our collateral control."
     Charter One Mortgage Corp., headquartered in Richmond, Va., is a wholly
 owned subsidiary of Charter One Bank, N.A., Cleveland, Ohio.  Charter One
 Mortgage originates and services a complete line of mortgage loans, including
 conventional, fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages, and jumbo loans.  The
 Charter One Mortgage servicing portfolio includes loans with a total
 outstanding principal balance of more than $26 billion.  For more information
 about Charter One Mortgage, its products and its Wholesale Division, visit
 www.comc-wholesale.com .
     AI Direct Connection is an appraisal management and valuation services
 company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.  Backed by the Appraisal Institute,
 AI Direct Connection's network of appraisers is based on the association's
 18,000 member real estate appraisers.  AI Direct Connection has national
 coverage and offers residential, commercial and agricultural real estate
 appraisal and valuation services.  For more information about AI Direct
 Connection, please visit www.aidirectconnection.com .  For more information
 about the Appraisal Institute, please visit www.appraisalinstitute.org .
 
 

SOURCE  AI Direct Connection