CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers in Maryland
163 mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers operated in Maryland in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 163CBP 2023
- Employees
- 1,245mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 2.6U.S. 2.9
- State rank
- 15th of 51by count
The mortgage brokerage industry in Maryland
County Business Patterns counts 163 establishments in Maryland classified as Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (NAICS 522310) for 2023. They employed 1,245 people in mid-March and reported $102.7 million in annual payroll. That is the 15th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers make up 0.11% of the 142,967 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Maryland has 2.6 mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers, 9.6% below the national rate of 2.9. The average establishment has 7.6 employees against 5.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $82,481, 7.7% below the U.S. figure of $89,382.
| Measure | Maryland | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 163 | 9,792 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,245 | 54,952 |
| Annual payroll | $102,689,000 | $4,911,723,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 7.6 | 5.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $82,481 | $89,382 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.9 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Maryland's largest markets for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers
Census published mortgage brokerage counts for 5 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Maryland. The largest is Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 176 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 58% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 176 | 1,122 | 2.8 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | 175 | 1,170 | 2.7 |
| Baltimore, MD | 91 | 807 | 3.2 |
| Hagerstown, MD-WV | 4 | — | 1.3 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 3 | — | 1.4 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers in Maryland
65.8% of Maryland's mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 81.5% nationally. 85.1% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 106 | 65.8% | 81.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 31 | 19.3% | 10.6% |
| 10–19 employees | 13 | 8.1% | 4.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 8 | 5.0% | 2.2% |
| 50 or more employees | 3 | 1.9% | 1.2% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a mortgage brokerage in Maryland has to catch
Loan brokers live on responsiveness: borrowers call while house hunting, and agents call to check on approvals before offers. Calls missed during a rate-sensitive moment can cost a deal. That holds for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers in Maryland as much as anywhere.
Calls a mortgage brokerage in Maryland might handle in a typical week include:
- A borrower calls to ask about pre-approval.
- A borrower calls to ask about locking a rate.
- The broker calls a borrower for missing documents.
Calls after closing time
Buyers and agents often call in the evening while preparing offers, so prompt callbacks matter.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs a mortgage brokerage in Maryland
Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers in Maryland average 7.6 employees, so the comparison uses an 8-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $199.60 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $240.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 8 people cost $159.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $972. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $159.00 | $1,908.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $152.00 | $1,824.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $184.00 | $2,208.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $199.60 | $2,395.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $216.00 | $2,592.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $240.00 | $2,880.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Maryland
Maryland has 6 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your borrowers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240 | 785 | Eastern | 1997 | 227, 301 |
| 443 | 785 | Eastern | 1997 | 410, 667 |
| 301 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 240, 227 |
| 410 | 783 | Eastern | 1991 | 443, 667 |
| 667 | 452 | Eastern | 2012 | 410, 443 |
| 227 | 141 | Eastern | 2023 | 240, 301 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers in Maryland
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Maryland, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Marketing calls and texts require consent, and financial details should not be sent by text.
Frequently asked questions
How many mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers are in Maryland?
163 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 1,245 people in mid-March.
Which Maryland metro area has the most mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers?
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 176 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost an 8-person mortgage brokerage?
$240.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $199.60 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $159.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Maryland number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.