LAS VEGAS — The word heard constantly around the American Credit Union Mortgage Association's Fall Conference here was "opportunity," as it pertains to credit unions being able to make hay of the housing downturn to boost its own market share of business.

From the first speaker's call to action to delivery on the last day of survey results about CU mortgage lending to the buzz at networking breaks and luncheons the prime directive came through: it's now or never for CUs to appeal for consumers' mortgage loans. Even Bob Dorsa, a longtime advocate for increased CU mortgage activity told the 200-plus attendees, "The people in this room can make credit union history. You are the choir and I won't preach to you, but while you're here I hope you'll be inspired to go back home and reach out to other credit unions in your area that don't do mortgages because that's what really has to happen for it to take off."

ACUMA Chairman John Reed noted that 52 of the top 300 CU mortgage producers were at the meeting, not including mortgage-related CUSOs, and there were 40 new attendees this year over last year, owing to interest in expanding mortgage lending. Those top CUs have made 22,000 loans for $4.8 billion, but that's only a good start, said Reed. "It's so important to grow mortgage lending so that we can in turn promote it to credit unions nationwide. To help do that, we've reached out to the National Association of Realtors and we will have a booth on the trade show floor and a credit union breakout session before attendees. Each year, the NAR draws as many as 40,000 real estate agents and this year may even exceed that number. If we can get the credit union option before so many agents that are often the first contact for