When did pineapples in shopping carts become a thing (more below)? But I digress… This morning I head to Miami, because isn’t there where most rap videos are filmed? Remember when there were one-hour LO-sponsored happy hours for new borrowers, friends, and referral sources like real estate agents at fancy establishments like the local Olive Garden? With mask mandates crumbling, LO-sponsored events are back in full swing. Mortgage conference season is in full swing too, with its plethora of applewood smoked bacon and pineapple cubes in the breakfast buffet line. I like pineapple as much as the next guy, but how the heck did an upside pineapple in one’s shopping cart develop into an invitation for certain types of sex, namely swinging? (Ain't nobody in the Food Lion I want to talk to, much less swing with.) Yes, humans are odd creatures. For MLOs, and more grounded, is the “Big Skip Energy Podcast” diving into the world of sales and business development with a mortgage twist. In the first installment of a two-part series, Skip interviews three top producing women originators. They share their experiences and habits that have led to their success. Take what they share to help you dominate your origination day! And on the processing side, today’s audio version of the commentary is available here and this week’s is sponsored by Candor, AI that puts your underwriting on autopilot.) Lender and Broker Products Class Valuation’s Chief Innovation Officer Scot Rose recently participated in the webinar, “Understanding Desktop Appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” hosted by HW Media. The webinar covered new desktop appraisal rules going into effect on March 19. Rose sees desktop appraisals as a huge opportunity for the appraisal industry. “There’s potential to improve cycle times and create more certainty upfront on purchase transactions,” he said. “We can also improve the overall experience for all stakeholders, including the appraiser and downstream originators. So far, we’ve seen up to 70% reduction in revision rates compared to the traditional process. That’s a huge improvement for the appraisal management side.” For more information, you can find the webinar here.