Thu, Mar 16 2017, 9:50 AM
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that is stupid.” Different peopl...
Wed, Mar 15 2017, 9:19 AM
Yes, calendars have changed over a few thousand years. But the Ides of March is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March, marked by se...
Tue, Mar 14 2017, 9:05 AM
Every lender should know a little about demographics . The Millennials receive the publicity, but the population aged 65 and older is expected to grow...
Mon, Mar 13 2017, 10:31 AM
It seems the general public is not moving. Not because they don’t way to, but because of… the influence of government regulations !? The regulatory en...
Fri, Mar 10 2017, 9:36 AM
The last time I checked Americans enjoy living indoors, especially given storms like today’s in the Northeast. How’s this for a combination of edifice...
Thu, Mar 9 2017, 9:34 AM
I have my own opinion about reading a book versus watching YouTube videos, given our finite time every day, but this statistic is staggering: The numb...
Wed, Mar 8 2017, 9:19 AM
Yes, we change our clocks this weekend, losing an hour, although some states have escaped this ordeal by not using Daylight Savings Time. Different st...
Tue, Mar 7 2017, 9:28 AM
Thousands of lenders around the nation, in one form or another, donate to charities. But here’s an interesting twist on that. Todd Potter, SVP & Natio...
Mon, Mar 6 2017, 9:30 AM
Welcome to national White Chocolate Cheesecake Day, and Oreo Cookie Day, both of which usually have gluten. Like gluten, most people don’t precisely k...
Fri, Mar 3 2017, 9:12 AM
For me the last few weeks included travel to events in Florida, Texas, Southern California, and now The Mortgage Collaborative’s event in Arizona. And...
Thu, Mar 2 2017, 9:31 AM
Here’s a public service announcement for folks in Detroit: check to see if you should boil your water before you drink it . Apparently drinking water ...
Wed, Mar 1 2017, 9:02 AM
There is some rate and price at which a borrower and lender will meet, whether it is residential loans, commercial, personal, auto, etc. But apparentl...
Tue, Feb 28 2017, 9:46 AM
The last day of February, already? Wasn’t it just New Years? Time flies by, things progress. Yesterday the Chamber of Digital Commerce, the world’s la...
Mon, Feb 27 2017, 10:03 AM
If you’re a lender in only one state, just think about the state and federal regulations you must deal with, not to mention the investor or agency rul...
Fri, Feb 24 2017, 10:21 AM
Boss: "Working hard here, Jimmy?" Jimmy: "Yep, ever since I heard you coming down the stairs!" Mortgage banks are working hard, but banks and other fi...
Thu, Feb 23 2017, 9:50 AM
"Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge.” But what if you use knowledge to predict? Research by Goldman Sach...
Wed, Feb 22 2017, 1:37 PM
Are you lending in areas where LOs are receiving more calls from recruiters than they are from real estate agents? Let’s hope not. But here’s somethin...
Tue, Feb 21 2017, 2:23 PM
For the past six years, there has been a quiet revolution in the mortgage market: Big banks like JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM) , Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) an...
Tue, Feb 21 2017, 8:49 AM
Through the wonders of modern air travel, I find myself in Miami. But everywhere, in front of the grocery stores, in truly exciting news, are reminder...
Fri, Feb 17 2017, 10:31 AM
In lender and regulator news, SoFi (Social Finance) is reportedly close to raising $500 million in fresh funds from an investor group led by Silver La...
Thu, Feb 16 2017, 9:38 AM
Bank of America has opened 3 completely automated branches without any employees. Customers can use ATMs or have video conferences with employees at o...
Wed, Feb 15 2017, 9:56 AM
“The flat earth society has members all around the globe.” Speaking of orbs, while global wealth totals $255 trillion , the median wealth of all 4.8 b...
Tue, Feb 14 2017, 8:47 AM
What did one boat say to the other? “Are you up for a little row-mance?” Oh boy. Don’t forget the chocolates for your sweetie. If the love thing doesn...
Mon, Feb 13 2017, 3:22 PM
Fed Chair Janet Yellen 's semiannual testimony before Congress this week comes as the banking industry is about to undergo a dramatic makeover. Conseq...
Mon, Feb 13 2017, 9:16 AM
When I was a kid I’d go the bank, and my parents’ favorite teller and I would swap my money for the silver dimes and quarters she’d saved for me. I st...
Fri, Feb 10 2017, 8:52 AM
The stock market is not the economy. That’s a simple financial truth, but it is hard to keep in mind during rallies or sell-offs. Especially when main...
Thu, Feb 9 2017, 10:18 AM
“Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let him sleep.” Kids in NY are sleeping in since the schools are closed today. But if you worked for Deutsc...
Wed, Feb 8 2017, 9:16 AM
Think there’s no creativity allowed in the down payment help arena? Think again. Loftium pays up to $20,000 towards your down payment and offers month...
Tue, Feb 7 2017, 10:07 AM
Our Census Bureau is at it again. Did you know that 5 million U.S. veterans are living in areas designated as rural between 2011 and 2015 per a new re...
Mon, Feb 6 2017, 8:45 AM
Tomorrow we’ll take a deep look at potential future Dodd-Frank changes , but for something more concrete the Census Bureau told us that U.S. home owne...
Fri, Feb 3 2017, 9:01 AM
Residential lenders are paying raptly following the news that President Donald Trump intends to roll back much of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regula...
Thu, Feb 2 2017, 9:38 AM
Supply and demand (“the invisible hand”) are the driver of many things in life, as are perceived shortages. So it was with great concern that Chris C....
Wed, Feb 1 2017, 10:21 AM
Although I am now in Phoenix for several days, where house flipping is ramping up again, I was fortunate earlier this week to be able to attend the Te...
Tue, Jan 31 2017, 9:42 AM
As the old adage goes, “Women spend more time wondering what men are thinking than men spend thinking.” But certainly women spend a good deal of time ...
Mon, Jan 30 2017, 10:04 AM
I certainly am hearing some dire numbers from appraisers out there – like their business, which kind of gets the ball rolling for a loan so could be c...
Fri, Jan 27 2017, 1:26 PM
If you're out house hunting this weekend, expect to pay more for the same house that was on the market last weekend. New policy from the administratio...
Fri, Jan 27 2017, 9:48 AM
One would like to think that, as an industry, we’re emerging from the public relations nightmare. And yet the popular press continues the ordeal , the...
Thu, Jan 26 2017, 10:27 AM
The average used car depreciated about 23% last year, faster than the historical average annual rate of 18%, per the National Automobile Dealers Assoc...
Wed, Jan 25 2017, 9:02 AM
"If you want to be successful on the highest level, be willing to serve on the lowest." That is a great statement for companies who take charity work ...
Tue, Jan 24 2017, 9:43 AM
Depository banks know that, per the AARP, more than 67% of US assets are controlled by individuals age 50+, with this group representing more than 67%...
Mon, Jan 23 2017, 9:31 AM
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those that lost their lives in storms in the South and East. On the other coast, Los Angeles has re...
Fri, Jan 20 2017, 10:31 AM
How many people find fault seemingly every day with the FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac programs or structure? Plenty – see below – they can’t seem t...
Thu, Jan 19 2017, 9:25 AM
How has housing changed in the last 100 years? It’s easy to see when a “vertical flight” is put together, and Trulia posted current listings that were...
Wed, Jan 18 2017, 9:07 AM
The mortgage world is full of acronyms. Some refer to Finance of America as “FOAM,” for example. There are new ones every year, making it hard for old...
Tue, Jan 17 2017, 9:17 AM
Well, we have 24 business days until our next Federal holiday (President’s Day on February 20). Sigh. Much worse is this very, very sad, troubling sta...
Fri, Jan 13 2017, 9:05 AM
The average person in the residential lending sector would be hard pressed to say what Julian Castro, the current Secretary of HUD, does , or what rol...
Thu, Jan 12 2017, 9:29 AM
Ever wondered how much Ben Carson is worth, where he puts his money, and how much money he earns? Here you go . His hearing is today for the HUD spot....
Wed, Jan 11 2017, 9:24 AM
While rumors swirl about the topic for the phone call with Stearns Lending’s correspondent-wide staff today (let’s hope its good news), Richard Cordra...
Tue, Jan 10 2017, 9:17 AM
What does $1.38 million, uh, I mean $138 thousand, buy you in South Dakota ? (Of course the heating bill is $3,000 a month...) Buying it may be a litt...
Mon, Jan 9 2017, 9:34 AM
Ah, here we are starting off a work week with 5 whole days in it. Remember that next Monday is a holiday for some, not all, with the usual questions a...
