Former Keller Williams CEO Chris Heller will join loanDepot’s new brand mello Home as CEO, the company announced Wednesday.
Mello Home is a new platform and vertical from loanDepot, under parent company LD Holdings. The platform launched at Inman Connect NY 2018 in late January and expands loanDepot’s lending focus to match pre-approved buyers with agents.
“I’ve had the same vision as [loanDepot CEO Anthony Hsieh] even when I was at Keller Williams, providing consumers with what they want and the type of consumer experience we should all be striving for,” Heller said in a phone call with Inman. “When I saw what loanDepot was doing, I discovered it’s a really good fit for me, aligned with what’s best for buyers and sellers.”
Heller served as president of Keller Williams Worldwide division from 2010 to 2015, launching the first overseas master franchise expansions, before becoming CEO of Keller Williams from 2015 to 2017. (Heller served as co-CEO with John Davis for a short two-month span in early 2017 before Davis became the sole CEO in April).
Heller was named to Inman’s list of Real Estate Influencers last year. The executive will bring his experience leading agents and brokers to the tech platform focused on matching clients with agents.
“I’ve been fortunate to work at all levels as an agent, owner, real estate brokerage leader and executive in this industry.” Heller said. “It’s given me a 360-degree perspective not only on where the gaps are, but where the holes are, where the challenges are, where the pain points are, not just for consumers but for people within the industry. My experience gained over the last 30 years and the last seven at Keller Williams will absolutely help inform the decisions we make.”
Mello Home is free for clients and free for agents to join, but agents pay a fee if they close a transaction found through the platform. A next step for the platform is adding a service matching consumers with contractors to get involved in all steps of the homebuying process, the company said in January.
“We’ve hired the nation’s top real estate CEO and continue growing our 450+ technology team every week to give our customers one place to manage the business of their home,” Hsieh said in a statement.”
