In the words of former Vice President Dan Quayle, “We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.” Around the world, soaring borrowing costs are squeezing homebuyers and property owners alike. So, what does the public see in terms of headlines and the housing market? There was billionaire CEO of private equity company Starwood Capital Group, Barry Sternlicht, warning that the housing market is headed for a major crash. Moody’s Chief Economist Mark Zandi is more optimistic, saying that house prices will soon undergo a ‘correction, but not a ‘crash.’ Almost one-third of homes sold in July were paid for entirely with cash. Wealthy U.S. homebuyers are charging in with all-cash purchases even as the broader housing market is slowed by rising mortgage rates. One thing is certain for those financing or looking to finance their real estate. Households with loans are tightening their belts, while rising mortgage payments discourage wou
Does evolution lead to success? Major League Baseball is banking that instituting a pitch clock and banning defensive shifts starting next year will lead towards shorter games and more fan interest. M.L.B. will also increase base sizes by three inches to reduce injuries and increase stolen base attempts. The league must be envious of the continued success of the N.F.L., which kicked off its regular season this past weekend. Television viewership for the N.F.L. in 2021 was its strongest in six years, even as most television programming around it craters in popularity. Last year, television networks committed about $110 billion for the rights to show the N.F.L. for the next decade, putting the league on track to meet Commissioner Roger Goodell’s goal of earning $25 billion in revenue annually in 2027. Mortgage companies are also looking to evolve to increase revenue. Expanded product offerings, cutting overhead, automating processes, and advancing tech stacks are just some solutio
Now that we have passed the unofficial end of summer, am I allowed or not allowed to wear white on Zoom calls before 2023’s Memorial Day? Maybe darker-hued clothing better suits the current mortgage landscape. Labor Day became an official holiday in 1894 and was quickly followed by the subjective rule that if you didn't have the money to take fall and winter vacations you should refrain from wearing white, but no one in 2022 should feel the need to follow it. Culture is always changing and understanding that will help mortgage companies with retention. It is a different time than when many of us entered the industry. Heck, the 96-year old queen of England stars in TikToks now. Investors are “socially conscious” in allocating capital, even down to how they support affordable housing and provide access to credit for underserved individuals. Mortgage companies are hoping that changes from Washington D.C., including the plan to forgive loan debt, could help con
Nature “always bats last.” Terrible flooding in Pakistan, flooding in Mississippi impacting its drinking water supplies. Severe temperatures in China, a hot summer in the Western U.S. Fortunately, this year’s hurricane season in the U.S has been tepid, so far, and fires in the West have been limited. Certainly, storms can impact borrowers and lenders, as can documentation problems or appraisal delays. What percent of your clients don’t close on time? In retail news, if you're a Chase customer buying a new home or an investment property, you may be eligible for the Chase Closing Guarantee. “We promise an on-time closing in as soon as three weeks or you'll get $5,000.” As summer winds down, in many second home areas like Florida, concerns in places include investment property and 2nd home price adjustments. Of course, it is not in Freddie or Fannie’s charter to help 2nd home or investment property financing as the focus is
Lenders continue to adapt, and LOs are adding value by being subject matter experts and marketing accordingly. (For example, today’s podcast features an interview with Bob Griffith, General Manager of Home Services at Houwzer, on using a client’s 401k to help finance a house.) Marketing is a fickle mistress. Ever “opt out” of receiving ads? The people that advertisers most want to target are hiding from the advertisers (thank you to Carla M. for sending that in). The implications to marketing efforts for any lender or vendor are clear. The implications of falling volume, margins, and revenue are clear as well: they’re leaving plans for 2022 in a shambles for most lenders and vendors. Every lender and originator know that 2020 and 2021 were not forecast to be record-breaking origination years, but they were. And if 2022 weighs in at $2 trillion in residential fundings, it will be a top 10 year. But still, volumes being down 50 percent from a year ago c