Last week my son asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I replied, “I didn’t know he could!” The weather here in Palm Springs, California is much different than that of Anchorage, and yesterday’s Commentary’s mention of the fabled Iditarod prompted Fairway Independent’s Susan Hawkins to send, “I was there when I lived in Anchorage! Here are some photos.” Looks cold, which is to be expected. What is not expected is when a lender or vendor makes headlines. Huh? CoreLogic in the headlines again? Yup. What is also in the headlines is the move in interest rates: The bond market price selloff came after Fed Chairman Jerome Powell warned in his testimony that the "ultimate level of interest rates is likely to be higher than previously anticipated." So, any loan originator, or lender, praying for lower rates soon is likely to be disappointed. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week is sponsored by SimpleNexus, an nCino company and homeownership platform that unites the people, systems, and stages of the mortgage process into one seamless, end-to-end solution that spans engagement, origination, closing, incentive compensation, and business intelligence. Todays has an interview with SimpleNexus’ Andria Lightfoot on crafting a modern customer experience.) Broker and Lender Products, Software, and Services The assertion that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is put to the test each year by the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, which is accepting entries now through June 21. The homeliest mutt will take home a top prize of $1,500. Unfortunately, those winnings won’t even come close to offsetting the mortgage opportunities lenders could miss this Spring without the right sales and marketing strategies. On March 9 at 2 pm ET, uncover the tools and tactics lenders MUST prioritize if they want to take full advantage of seasonal demand in TrustEngine’s (formerly Mortgage Coach and Sales Boomerang) free webinar featuring Dave Savage, Melissa Wright from American Pacific Mortgage, and Ben Miller from SimpleNexus, an nCino Company. Register and help your organization become the top dog of this Spring homebuying season.