Yup, another competitor for lenders come July: Bed Bath & Beyond is acquiring Tokens.com “to develop a blockchain-based investment and personal finance platform” and will use tools from tZERO and integrate with blockchain firm Figure to offer services such as mortgages and renovation loans. Indeed, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships are alive and well, ranging from branches moving to talk of more headline-grabbing deals ahead. Welcome to the club, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I think you’ll find it a confusing industry… there isn’t a lot of policy shaping selling household wares in comparison. Speaking of which, on today’s The Big Picture at 3PM ET Bob Broeksmit, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, will be on for a candid conversation on the forces shaping housing finance policy, the happenings in Washington DC, regulatory priorities, and what lenders should expect next. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s are sponsored by Truework, the one verification solution to replace in-house waterfalls. Verify any borrower with a VOIE solution that automates the entire process to quickly deliver the most accurate and complete reports with broad GSE coverage. Today’s features an interview with Truework's Ethan Winchell on the intersection of technology and use, and how designing platforms for the mortgage industry has shifted toward practical application.)
Products, Services, and Software for Brokers and Lenders
“Truework is a comprehensive income and employment verification platform that fully replaces manual in-house waterfalls and provides mortgage lenders with a single automated solution to run their verification processes. With Truework, lenders see up to 50 percent cost savings on verifications while increasing speed, accuracy, and R&W relief. We also offer free pre-approvals to help you qualify borrowers faster… only pay when we complete a file. Trusted by 4 of the top 5 lenders in the U.S., Truework is built to deliver results. Learn more.”
The next generation of borrowers isn’t waiting for you to catch up. They’ve already moved on. Trust in banks has dropped from 61.5 to 40 percent, and trust in loan officers has collapsed to just 19.5 percent, according to the March 4, 2025 NextGen Homebuyer Report. At the same time, 43 percent of Gen-Z now turn to AI tools like ChatGPT for financial insight, making it clear that AI isn’t optional anymore. On Tuesday, February 10 at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT, join the NMP Webinar OriginatorTech Deep Dive: Boom with Angel AI or Bust with The Dinosaurs and see how top-performing MLOs are using AngelAi to win back trust and get ahead. From generating professional event sites in seconds to converting presentations into interactive websites, plus embedded e-signatures and referral rewards, AngelAi helps you meet modern borrowers with speed, accuracy, and authority. Secure your competitive edge by registering here.
What are trending credit scores, and how do they compare to legacy credit models? Join MCT’s Tom Farmer and FICO’s Alyson Finn and Sabitha Thomas for “Introduction to Trending Credit Scores for Capital Markets”, a live webinar on March 10 at 11:00 a.m. PT. This session offers a practical, capital-markets-focused look at how trending credit data may influence risk evaluation, pricing, and strategy. Attendees will learn how trending credit intelligence found in FICO Score 10T reveals insights and lending opportunities beyond point-in-time analysis, how enhanced tools and data are improving risk prediction and portfolio performance, and how next-generation credit intelligence can support more informed pricing and asset evaluation. Register for the webinar to gain insight into how forward-looking credit analysis is shaping decision-making across today’s secondary market.
“APB Wholesale’s One-Time Close Construction-to-Permanent loans are built for borrowers looking to finance construction or major renovations with a single loan and one closing. We offer full-doc, alt-doc, and DSCR options across a broad range of property types, including primary residences, second homes, and investment properties. Depending on the program, borrowers may qualify without personal tax returns or W-2s, or by using asset utilization, P&L, or Bank Statements in place of traditional income documentation. These specialized construction programs are supported by a dedicated, experienced team focused exclusively on construction-to-perm lending. Become an Approved Broker to Get Started. Visit here. APB Wholesale is the wholesale arm of American Pride Bank’s mortgage division. Equal Housing Lender. For industry professionals only. Not intended or directed at consumers. NMLS #402598”
“The IMB Conference delivered a powerful reality check: lenders can’t win by being mortgage‑only shops anymore. The real growth belongs to those who position themselves as lifelong financial partners, staying connected with borrowers long after closing. Servicing is now a strategic advantage, strengthening trust, boosting retention, and unlocking new revenue across every stage of a customer’s financial journey. Borrowers don’t stop needing financial solutions once the ink dries. With consistent engagement through servicing, lenders become the first call for home improvements, personal loans, renovations, and specialty lending. Yet too many systems were built for a single product, limiting flexibility and sending customers elsewhere. MortgageFlex changes the equation. We give lenders of any size the power to expand beyond traditional mortgages and deliver the full spectrum of financial solutions today’s borrowers expect. Next stop: MBA Servicing. Contact John McCrea!”
Did you know extreme weather events are happening more often today than they have in years prior? They are actually becoming more severe, frequent, and costly, resulting in significant financial impact for mortgage and housing professionals. For instance, insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2014, creating cascading effects on housing affordability and introducing critical credit risks. Watch ICE's on-demand webinar, Weathering the market: the ripple effect climate risk has on the housing industry, to hear from our panel of ICE analysts as they examine the root causes of accelerating insurance premiums; delinquency correlations tied to climate events; and home price dynamics in climate-vulnerable markets. Plus, find out how ICE can help mitigate risk by providing granular climate data and actionable intelligence so you can make faster, more informed decisions before, during and after a disaster occurs. Watch now.
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.
Hallway Chatter From the MBA’s IMB Continues
Independent mortgage bankers continue to keep an eye on state-level CRA requirements… a difficult argument to make given IMBs don’t accept deposits. Credit costs, and what to do about them, has become a huge topic of conversation, with many opinions and various groups squaring off against one another.
Overall, the event delivered a packed agenda blending industry insight, policy discussion, and high-impact networking. The conference opened with MBA leadership setting the regulatory and market outlook, followed by forecasts from MBA economists, advocacy-focused MORPAC events, and more. Across general sessions, attendees explored consolidation trends, technology ROI, policy developments, FHA and Ginnie Mae priorities, M&A dynamics, and the strategic bets shaping the next cycle for IMBs.
Tuesday and Wednesday featured deep-dive breakout sessions tailored to lenders of all sizes, covering non-agency growth, financial management, compliance modernization, customer retention, and strategies for small to midsize IMBs competing in a consolidating market. Peer-to-peer roundtables, GSE-focused discussions, and member engagement opportunities reinforce practical takeaways, while social events (from coastal receptions to the signature IMB party) provided a welcomed opportunity for people to see each other for the first time in several months. The conference concluded with forward-looking discussions and a recap of key insights, equipping IMBs with both strategic perspective and actionable guidance for 2026 and beyond.
In-Person Events into February
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.
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.
On Thursday, February 19, in New Mexico, NMMLA will present Cutting Through the Noise with Special Guest, Alan Fowler, CMB.
The TMBA offers up the Southern Secondary Market Conference, February 22–24, at the Westin Houston Memorial City in Houston, TX.
Join leading capital-markets, secondary, and mortgage finance professionals for a comprehensive, highly practical deep-dive into today’s mortgage pricing, loan sale execution, and financial management landscape. Register for School of Lock on Monday, February 23, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM CT (Lunch Provided).
At the same time, 2/22-2/24, The Mortgage Collaborative has its “Desert Disruption” in Scottsdale, AZ!
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 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.
The Northeast Mortgage Summit in Mashantucket, CT, will be February 25-26.
Capital Markets
There is a lot of caution without optimism over fears that artificial intelligence could disrupt business models and white-collar jobs add to broader uncertainty. Not helping matters is the delay or cancellation of labor reports due to the government shutdown. The Treasury confirmed modest increases in long-dated bond issuance yesterday. Solid ISM Services data showed steady growth alongside rising prices, while a weaker-than-expected ADP jobs report reinforced fading odds of a March Fed cut and a growing focus on June (Warsh’s first as Chairman), leaving investors biased toward slightly higher yields but still valuing Treasuries’ safe-haven role amid equity volatility.
Overnight, the Bank of England and European Central Bank were out with their latest monetary policy decisions, where both kept their respective rates unchanged at 3.75 percent and 2.00 percent, as expected. In the U.S., today’s calendar is already under way with job cuts from Challenger, Gray & Christmas for January. U.S.-based employers announced 108,435 job cuts in January, an increase of 118 percent from the 49,795 cuts announced in the same month last year. It is up 205 percent from the 35,553 job cuts announced in December. January’s total is the highest for the month since 2009, when 241,749 job cuts were announced. It is the highest monthly total since October 2025, when 153,074 cuts were recorded.
We’ve also received weekly jobless claims (231k, 1.844 million continuing), and Tuesday’s previously delayed JOLTS job openings for December (6.5m, down from approx.7.5m). Treasury activity today will be headlined by a buyback in 20-year to 30-year coupons for up to $2 billion. Freddie Mac will release its Primary Mortgage Market Survey. We begin Thursday with Agency MBS prices better by about .125 from Wednesday’s close, the 2-year yielding 3.52, and the 10-year yielding 4.25 after closing yesterday at 4.28 percent after the job cuts numbers.
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