How are we halfway done with January already? Wasn’t it just New Year’s? Some lenders slow down in the winter, but I am hearing reports of great Decembers and Januarys. Wanna fire up your sales team? Here’s an article: “The golden handcuffs are slipping in the U.S. housing market.” As industry vets knew they would eventually, borrowers with “once-in-a-lifetime” rates are refinancing, or selling houses with those mortgages on them. There is a lot of news and change, both locally and globally, for originators to follow, and the current STRATMOR Group blog is titled, “Helping Borrowers in a Market Defined by Complexity and Change.” (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s are sponsored by Figure. Take advantage of Figure’s technology and products like its fixed HELOC, DSCR loan, piggyback loan, and direct debt paydown, helping you serve more of your existing network and expand into new markets. Hear an interview with FINOFR’s Keith Kelly on how to take the friction out of the loan process for everyone.)
Products, Services, and Software for Brokers and Lenders
After years of elevated mortgage rates, tight inventory, and stretched affordability, the housing market is beginning to show signs of a thaw. In 2026, the question isn’t whether conditions are improving. It’s how quickly momentum will build and what will sustain it. Join First American Data & Analytics for a 2026 Housing Market Outlook webinar featuring Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American. We’ll break down the data shaping today’s market, from mortgage rates and Fed policy to affordability, labor market fundamentals, demographic demand, new-home construction, and regional performance, and highlight the signals pointing to a measured, gradual recovery. If the market is shifting from freeze to forward motion, this webinar is your roadmap for what comes next. Register now to gain the insights you need to navigate a year defined by progress, not a breakout, in 2026.
FINOFR has reset over $1.33 billion in mortgages in the past 120 days! The Fed’s three recent 0.25% rate cuts in September, October, and December 10th, have driven a surge in Reset Mortgage activity. FINOFR completed 1139 reset transactions with zero processing, underwriting, closing, or compliance time required. No added staff. No operational strain. Total volume reached $1,339,299,735 with an average loan size of $1.1M. With a consumer completion time under 90 seconds, this simple process is why FINOFR maintains a 90 percent mortgage retention rate. Volume or runoff shouldn’t break your business model. We built FINOFR so it doesn’t. Learn more at FINOFR.com or contact Foster Kelly.
During STRATMOR’s recent Advisory Angle Panel Discussion, a key theme emerged around how Independent Mortgage Bankers can improve profitability and resilience in a challenging market. Panelists emphasized that IMBs should adopt the same playbooks used by mega-lenders, most notably by retaining servicing in-house and diversifying revenue streams. Importantly, the panel noted that lenders do not need to be market movers or mega-sized institutions to successfully implement these strategies. The discussion highlighted that IMBs that retained servicing were approximately 50 percent more profitable in 2025 than those that did not. Retaining servicing creates recurring revenue, strengthens borrower relationships, and helps offset market volatility. As margins remain compressed, these strategies are increasingly viewed as essential to long-term sustainability. Technology plays a key role, and MortgageFlex can help IMCs execute these strategies efficiently without adding unnecessary complexity. We look forward to continuing the conversation: connect at with John McCrea at IMB 2026 in Amelia Island.
Need a clear, concise breakdown of the legislation and regulatory actions that shaped the mortgage industry in 2025 and what lenders and servicers should prepare for in 2026? Read Covius Compliance Solutions’ annual Regulatory and Legislative Updates Report. This in-depth review covers evolving compliance expectations, the CFPB’s modified role, new loss mitigation requirements, growing state-level influence and key litigation outcomes, plus a forward-looking outlook to help you navigate risk and opportunity in 2026. Read and download your copy today.
The Chrisman Marketplace is a centralized hub for vendors and service providers across the mortgage industry to be viewed by lenders in a very cost-effective manner. We’re adding new providers daily, so check back often to see what’s new. To reserve your place or learn more, contact us at info@chrismancommentary.com.
Upcoming Events and Training in February and March
A good place for longer term conference planning and for organizers to post their events is to start is here for in-person events in the future. Every conference has an LTV ratio: the percent of “Lenders to Vendors,” and each event and conference has a different flavor and attendee base.
Join MBA of Eastern PA, January 21, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (EST), for a high-impact webinar based on Pat Sherlock’s Mortgage Manager Mastery, the go-to blueprint for building elite, high-performance mortgage sales teams. We’ll break down the leadership systems and daily disciplines that top managers use to attract talent, elevate performance, and run consistently profitable branches.
The MBA is putting on the Independent Mortgage Bankers Conference on Amelia Island, Florida February 2-4. “An intimate gathering designed exclusively for IMB leaders from companies of all sizes and business models.”
MCT’s Exchange 2026, MCT’s client conference, is taking place February 12-13 at the InterContinental San Diego. As the Currents of Capital reshape the secondary mortgage market, this premier client conference will help attendees harness the changing flow of opportunity. Immerse in expert market analysis, innovative technology announcements, and collaborative roundtables with industry peers. Attendees can also explore learning tracks tailored to today’s evolving landscape, and connect with lenders, investors, and partners from across the country. From insightful sessions to vibrant networking events, MCT Exchange 2026 is where the future of mortgage capital markets converges.
The MBA has its Servicing Solutions conference in Dallas February 16-19.
The NMLS 2026 is in Orlando, FL and is February 17-20.
The TMBA offers up the Southern Secondary Market Conference, February 22–24, at the Westin Houston Memorial City in Houston, TX.
The Optimal Blue Summit is taking place February 23 – 25 at Talking Stick Resort and Conference Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. From expert-led sessions and hands-on tech showcases to curated networking with capital markets leaders, every element of the Summit is designed to give attendees a competitive edge and help them maximize profitability. Early bird registration is available for just $199. Secure your ticket today and be first to experience an event where proven mortgage expertise meets modern innovation to shape what's next.
Join NMBA, February 24–26, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for ELEVATE, the ultimate conference for brokers and mortgage professionals ready to explore the world of private lending. This isn’t your average mortgage event. ELEVATE brings together brokers, private lenders, and investors for three days of education, networking, and inspiration all focused on helping you grow from commissions to capital.
The Northeast Mortgage Summit in Mashantucket, CT, will be February 25-26.
March 1-4, in Ft. Lauderdale, we have the Lenders One Summit.
In Illinois, registration information will be available soon for the IMBA Spring Mortgage Lending Conference on Wednesday, March 11, 10am - 4:30pm. Confirmed speaker, Joel Kan, Deputy Chief Economist Mortgage Bankers Association, will discuss economic/mortgage market update. Also, concurrent interactive breakout sessions for Sales and Ops will be offered.
Registration for ICE Experience 2026 is now open for ICE clients. Join thousands of mortgage professionals for three days of learning, networking and innovation at the Wynn Las Vegas, March 16–18, 2026. Register now to take advantage of the lowest rates of the year: super early bird pricing is just $995, and if you bring a team of four or more, the rate drops to $745 per person. This year features a new format for pre-conference training with smaller classes and more hands-on learning, plus four focused session tracks designed around ICE solutions and the same high-quality networking events you love. ICE Experience is where ideas spark, connections grow and innovation happens here.
MBA of New Jersey is already looking ahead to one of their favorite things, bringing the industry together in one place. Conversation. Ideas. Connection. All of it. Conference registration is officially open for MBA of New Jersey’s 42nd Annual Regional Conference, March 22-24 at Ocean Casino & Resort.
Capital Markets
U.S. Treasuries were mixed Thursday, with the front end weaker and the long bond stronger, pushing the 2-year yield to its highest close since early December while the 30-year posted a third straight gain. Stronger-than-expected U.S. data, including lower jobless claims and improving regional manufacturing surveys, pressured shorter maturities, while the long bond outperformed and ended near a five-week low in yield. Separately, Citigroup reported rising short-term credit delinquencies, signaling some emerging consumer stress that markets will be watching closely.
Rate cut odds continue to fade. With a cut in January off the table at this point, the market is pricing in a 25 percent probability of a March cut even as futures indicate more than 50-basis points of rate cuts this year. That potentially infers that normalizing rates has simply been moved further into the year. Philadelphia Fed President Paulson spoke yesterday in favor of holding the fed funds rate range steady. Repeat after me, “meeting-by-meeting basis.” The latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey from Freddie Mac showed a decline in rates following late last week’s social media post from President Trump instructing the GSEs to buy $200 billion MBS. For the week ending January 15, the 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates declined 10-basis points and 8-basis points to 6.06 percent and 5.38 percent, respectively, the lowest for each since September 2022 and October 2024. From a year ago, rates are 98-basis points and 89-basis points lower.
Industrial production and capacity utilization for December kick off today’s economic calendar, followed by the NAHB Housing Market Index for January, Treasury releasing the primary dealer meeting agenda at noon ahead of the quarterly refunding statement, and remarks from three Fed speakers; Boston President Collins, Vice Chair for Supervision Bowman, and Vice Chair Jefferson. We begin Friday with Agency MBS prices slightly worse than Thursday’s close, the 2-year yielding 3.58, and the 10-year yielding 4.19 after closing yesterday at 4.16 percent.
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