Do we have an 8-year memory in an industry with 10-year business cycles? Bridging the gap between affordability, qualifying with a low income, and rising house prices are not issues confined to the United States. A new company and product out of London (Habito) claims to do all that, and is offering medical professionals and public servants a break. We don’t need to slide down the credit curve at the same time investors want higher yielding assets, as that didn’t work out so well in 2006-2008. Switching gears, New York’s Westminster Dog Show is the latest COVID variant casualty, being postponed. I received plenty of notes (most complimentary, some not) about the COVID and work-from-home (WFH) policies of major financial service sector companies. One person sent me a study by the U.S. Census Bureau titled, “Who Are the Adults Not Vaccinated against COVID.” There is no denying that lenders and vendors have more people are working from their homes these days than was the case two years ago. Once considered a luxury, dedicated home office space is now a must-have for homeowners; builders have adapted, and there are some trends in there worth a skim for home owners who want to set up an office in that extra bedroom. (During this seasonal quiet time the daily podcast is having some down time but will return Monday, January 3. Earlier versions of the audio are available here; questions about interviews and sponsorships should be directed to Robbie Chrisman.) Lender and Broker Services and Products