How Justin Kozera Engaged More Clients in 4 Months Than the Past 9 Years

When Justin Kozera, a 9-year mortgage industry veteran and regional manager for Movement Mortgage in Maryland and Delaware, discovered Fello's mortgage platform, he uncovered a solution to one of the industry's biggest challenges: staying connected with clients after closing.

The Challenge: How to Stay in Touch with Past Clients

Like many successful mortgage lenders, Justin excelled at generating leads and closing loans quickly. Movement Mortgage's ability to close VA loans in just 10 business days gave him a competitive edge in negotiations. But after the closing? That's where most lenders struggle.

"We do a good job getting leads in and working through getting them clear to close, but that after-close is a huge gap," Justin explains. "You hope they remember you. You hope these auto emails work, but it's hard to touch base with everybody over the years, especially if you're doing a lot of volume."

This challenge isn't unique to Justin. Most mortgage professionals rely on basic CRM birthday emails and hope for the best. Without effective client engagement tools for lenders, valuable relationships fade into "out of sight, out of mind" territory.

See how Fello automates engagement to mortgage contacts →

The Solution: A Mortgage Technology Platform That Delivers Real Value

Justin discovered Fello through REALTOR® Nick Kellar, who had been using the platform for years. Initially impressed by what Fello offered real estate agents, Justin became excited when he learned about the developing mortgage solution.

"I thought, wow, this is great. Now only if they could do something for the mortgage side of things as well," Justin recalls. "Then he connected me as you guys were building up the mortgage platform."

Getting involved at the ground level of Fello's mortgage vertical proved invaluable. The platform offered something different from traditional marketing for mortgage lenders — genuine value that keeps clients engaged.

Key Features That Drive Results

Home Value Tool for Borrowers

The standout feature for Justin has been Fello's home value data and custom dashboard features. With home values increasing significantly across the U.S., especially for clients who bought in 2020 or earlier, the home value dashboard (which is customized for every contact's address) is a natural conversation starter.

"Someone that maybe bought in 2020 or before is sitting on maybe $100,000 or $200,000 more in equity in their house," Justin notes. "The bills are tight, the credit cards are up — a home equity line could solve those things. Just them seeing their value grow, almost like looking in their bank account, I think it's a huge value add."

Automated Yet Personal Engagement

Rather than generic CRM emails, Fello provides ongoing value that clients actually want to receive. The platform tracks engagement, showing lenders when clients are actively viewing their dashboards — a clear signal for follow-up opportunities. With Fello's data enrichment, lenders can also see the equity position and loan details for every contact.

Schedule time with our team to see these features in action →

The Results: Unprecedented Client Reconnection

The numbers tell Justin's success story:

• 80-90 past clients personally reached out in just 4 months
• More past client conversations in 4 months than in his previous 9 years combined
• Higher engagement rates compared to traditional CRM emails
• Active referrals from re-engaged past clients

"I've gotten, 'Hey, you know, my sister's gonna buy,' or 'my nephew's gonna buy. Can I connect them with you?' And they're all emailing back from the Fello emails, not even the emails that we sent out through our CRM," Justin explains.

Building Stronger Mortgage Referral Partners

Justin's success extends beyond direct client engagement. By leveraging a solution for mortgage professionals that also serves real estate agents, he's strengthened his relationships with referral partners. Agents see the value Fello provides their clients, creating stronger bonds and more consistent referrals.

This represents a key shift in how to get mortgage leads — moving from interruption-based marketing to value-based relationship building.

Read how Honest Mortgage uses Fello to turn unqualified leads into closings →

The Competitive Advantage: Growing a Mortgage Business Through Technology

What sets Fello apart from other lender technology tools is its focus on providing ongoing value rather than just automation. While AI for mortgage lenders typically focuses on loan processing efficiency, Fello's AI addresses the relationship side of the business.

"It feels like truly building something, shaping things that maybe we like from this company or this from that company over the years, but now we can kind of have it all into one," Justin says about the Fello's comprehensive approach.

See how the Ask AI tool helps personalize your outreach →

3 Tips for Success

Based on his experience, Justin offers clear advice for mortgage professionals considering adding mortgage client follow-up systems:

1. Consistency is Key
"You gotta get in [the platform] every day. You gotta time block some time out for yourself, because if you think you can just turn this on and things just start working... if you want to get the most out of it, dive into it, time blocking every day."

2. Ask Questions and Stay Engaged
"Ask all the questions. Constantly get on calls. If you don't understand something in your dashboard, let somebody know."

3. Leverage the Ground-Floor Opportunity
Getting involved early in the development of Fello's mortgage platform allowed Justin to help shape the platform's features. "We've had calls a couple times a month where they're asking me what can we do to get better. That's really cool to see a company that wants to improve."

Learn more about Fello's mortgage solutions →

The Bottom Line

For mortgage professionals struggling with how to stay in touch with past clients, Justin's results demonstrate the power of value-based engagement. By providing tools that borrowers genuinely want to use — like tracking their home's value and understanding refinancing opportunities — lenders can maintain relationships that drive long-term business growth.

The traditional approach of hoping past clients remember you when they're ready for their next transaction is no longer sufficient. Today's successful mortgage professionals need client engagement tools that provide ongoing value, and Justin's experience with Fello proves this approach works.

Watch our entire interview with Justin Kozera of Movement Mortgage.

Ready to transform your mortgage business like Justin did? See how Fello's mortgage platform can help you reconnect with past clients and grow your business.

Book a free demo today and discover why top lenders are choosing Fello as their consumer engagement platform.