http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/topic/rob-chrisman Pipeline Press - Rob Chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07102026 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:06:30 GMT 6a50e5bbbd7a50f46fc86c5f Rob Chrisman Did you know that 53 percent of statistics are made up on the spot? “Rob, you recently mentioned that 30 percent of repeat buyers paid cash and did not finance their home. Where did that statistic come from?” The most recent Home Buyers and Sellers Report from NAR. If you’d like to see stats based on age, here is as much data as you would like. Lenders and vendors love data, and according to Curinos proprietary application index, June 2026 funded mortgage volume increased 6 percent Y-o-Y and increased 8 percent M-o-M. The average 30-year conforming retail funded rate in June 2026 was 6.35, 10bps higher than May 2026 and 44bps lower than the same month last year. Curinos drills into this data further here. Certainly, the ability to look at granular statistics has increased (Gallus has a good dashboard product), but are you “managing to” or “managing through”? Managing is always a topic on today’s Last Word at 10AM PT. Brian Vieaux, Kevin Peranio, Christy Soukhamneut, and Coby Hakalir break down the week's biggest market developments and industry narratives. The panel focuses on separating meaningful trends from short term noise and what lenders should be watching next. (Today’s podcast can be found here… this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by FICO. As the industry's most predictive credit score, FICO Score 10T combines proven performance with deeper insight into borrower behavior to help support a stronger and more resilient housing finance system. Today’s has an interview with Rate’s Ryan Ogata on why more and more originators/branch operators are choosing “profit and loss” models over traditional retail.) Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07092026 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:41:38 GMT 6a4f951e3d57515a786129a2 Rob Chrisman This morning, we head to Los Angeles, the site of the fires in the Pacific Palisades area in January 2025. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that FEMA approved California’s request to extend critical disaster assistance for Los Angeles fire survivors. More than 18,000 structures were destroyed. Seventy percent of those families don’t have a place to live yet. On the flip side, a white paper from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) argues any shortages could invert within the next decade and that the reversal carries direct consequences for mortgage brokers and loan officers: "Implications of a Persistent Slowing in Housing Demand." It projects that housing supply could expand by 10.6 million to 14.6 million units between 2026 and 2035. Gee, if U.S. fertility is dropping, and immigration numbers are going down, has the problem shifted from a lack of supply to a lack of demand for housing? What about President Trump called all the top 15 homebuilder CEOs in for a meeting earlier this year and explicitly threatening “either start more homes or prepare for changes you won’t like in the housing finance system”? Pay attention out there! Speaking of… On today’s Big Picture, at noon PT, Mark McArdle, SVP of Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs at Newrez and Bob Niemi, Director of Government Affairs for Weiner Brodsky Kider PC, will answer questions on the policy and regulatory issues shaping today's mortgage market: what should lenders watch? (Today’s podcast can be found here… this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by FICO. As the industry's most predictive credit score, FICO Score 10T combines proven performance with deeper insight into borrower behavior to help support a stronger and more resilient housing finance system. Today’s has an interview with FTI Consulting’s Creighton Oswald on how if capital treatment becomes more favorable, increased competition could drive aggressive pricing that benefits independent mortgage banks and borrowers while further compressing margins for warehouse lenders.) Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07082026 Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:01:40 GMT 6a4e449b4b266ad647ef9694 Rob Chrisman STRATMOR Group has opened participation for its 2026 Compensation Connection® Study, providing mortgage-specific insights into compensation components, incentive plan structures, compensation percentiles, and more. (Compensation Connection focuses exclusively on mortgage banking, with benchmark comparisons by lender type, size, region, and national averages, plus three-year trending for many metrics. This year's study includes four modules: Retail Sales, Consumer Direct Sales, Fulfillment, and Executive Management. Return your submissions to compconnection@stratmorgroup.com by August 15.) Today on L1’s Mortgage Matters at 11AM PT Flyhome's Tushar Garg will discuss his understanding of empathy and understanding customers' and stakeholders' challenges rather than only solving personal frustrations. Lastly, today at noon PT the Capital Markets Wrap, presented by Polly, the panel presents their understanding of how credit changes may impact investor’s appetite for MBS as well as FHFA Director Bill Pulte's proposed title insurance waiver initiative. (Today’s podcast can be found here… this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by FICO. As the industry's most predictive credit score, FICO Score 10T combines proven performance with deeper insight into borrower behavior to help support a stronger and more resilient housing finance system. Today’s has an interview with FICO’s Ethan Dornhelm on how credit score modernization is giving lenders and market participants the ability to evaluate long-term predictive performance and expand responsible access to credit while preserving safety and soundness.) Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07072026 Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:54:23 GMT 6a4cf368d603c4973ae9df54 Rob Chrisman During a recent trip overseas, I spoke to a banker who stated, “Technology doesn’t stop at the border.” True. The days of writing out this Commentary or taking an app on a yellow pad of paper are long gone. Today has the STRATMOR Group’s Advisory Angle at 11AM PT. STRATMOR Senior Partners Garth Graham and Nicole Yung explore the latest findings from STRATMOR's Technology Insight Digital Innovations study. The conversation examines where lenders are seeing the greatest return on digital investments, the barriers slowing adoption, and the technologies shaping the next phase of innovation in mortgage. The industry is abuzz about the CrossCountry/Two Harbor deal, but harken back… Think about the Redfin/Rocket deal, playing for the “top of the funnel” and obtaining information about consumers. Rocket’s contests are meant to obtain that information, but can Rocket and other companies convert information into loans? Consumers are increasingly empowered by technology forcing lenders and real estate agents to spell out their advantages in this era of consolidation. MLOs and agents do offer value, namely quarterbacking the transaction! (Today’s podcast can be found here… this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by FICO. As the industry's most predictive credit score, FICO Score 10T combines proven performance with deeper insight into borrower behavior to help support a stronger and more resilient housing finance system. Today’s has an interview with American Pacific’s Jason Ponsonby on how top-performing mortgage originators distinguish themselves through discipline, adaptability, strong relationship-building, and operational efficiency, while long-term success depends on fostering the right culture, and leveraging technology to enhance human connection.) Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07062026 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:58:05 GMT 6a4ba02b9b5f2c3650cf3382 Rob Chrisman One of the key selling points for an LO talking to a potential client about becoming a homeowner is the landlord/client relationship, which can go awry. (Pearl is the daughter of the short film’s director, by the way.) There are many reasons why renters aren’t owners, like, “can they not afford a residence,” or “are none available?” We recently learned that May new home sales slid to 580,000 (seasonally adjusted) and are down around 7 percent m-o-m and y-o-y. Sales of completed homes have declined for three straight months and are down over 30 percent since November. The supply of new homes for sale (496k) is now over 10 months, one of the worst in nearly 20 years. Median new home prices continue declining. All the while, most will say that no one seems to have any idea what our current national housing policy is. We have latched on to “affordability” but that has not been put into a policy. We’ve seen plenty of “trial balloons” about selling federal land, doing away with tri-merge, 40- or 50-year mortgages, and assumable mortgages. Nothing has stuck so far. There are small steps, like MISMO updating its mortgage insurance data standards to support VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, helping firms prepare for new credit models. (Today’s podcast can be found here… this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by FICO. As the industry's most predictive credit score, FICO Score 10T combines proven performance with deeper insight into borrower behavior to help support a stronger and more resilient housing finance system. Today’s has an interview with Sei’s Pranay Shetty on how purpose-built agents that handle borrower calls, process loan documents, do contact center QA, and monitor compliance are driving mortgage operations forward.) Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07022026 Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:43:56 GMT 6a465ae6be06585be27b8fee Rob Chrisman The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reported on the performance of first-lien mortgages in the federal banking system during the first quarter of 2026. The OCC Mortgage Metrics Report, First Quarter 2026 showed that 97.7 percent of mortgages included in the report were current and performing at the end of the quarter, a slight increase from 97.6 percent in 2025. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Experian. From lenders and landlords to employers and consumers, Experian helps connect the housing ecosystem with the data and insights needed to make faster, confident decisions. Lead a smarter housing journey with Experian. Today’s has an interview with First Lien Capital’s Bill Bymel on how insurance challenges, AI adoption in servicing, and key leading indicators are shaping the next potential cycle of market distress.) Broker and Lender Software, Products, and Services With 30-year rates range-bound in the mid-6 percent range, credit unions selling loans on a best-efforts basis are forfeiting 35-40 basis points of conventional execution on every commitment. That's margin that could be returned directly to members as more competitive rates or reinvested into balance sheet strength. In MCT's new guide, A Credit Union's Guide to Moving to Mandatory Loan Sale Delivery, Chad Stone, Director of Northwest Regional Sales at MCT, walks through the operational prerequisites for moving to mandatory, how credit unions' structural advantages, including no warehouse line expense, portfolio optionality as a backstop, and higher member pull-through, make the risk profile more manageable than most leadership teams assume, and what board and governance approval requires. The guide also covers how lean secondary teams can run a hedged mandatory pipeline without expanding the capital markets function. Join MCT's newsletter to stay informed with the latest market commentary and mortgage capital markets education. Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-07012026 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:04:39 GMT 6a4505dfac6f1dbddd3cd9e4 Rob Chrisman We find ourselves in the 3rd quarter of 2026. The stock market has made the headlines, but between a) the reduction in the number of publicly held companies, and b) the weight given to AI-related stocks, it is worth reminding everyone that the stock market is not the economy. Economies are complex, as are countries. Did you know that more Europeans die each year from summer heat than Americans die from gun violence? Over 1,000 recently in France; 1,500 deaths in Western Europe are being attributed to the climate. Returning to this country, there are six state capitals West of Los Angeles. (You don’t need my help in naming them.) There is plenty to like about this country: Building materials giant Saint-Gobain continues to expand its U.S. footprint and has invested nearly $7 billion in North America since 2021, deploying prefab systems that can reduce build times 30-50 percent while avoiding tariff exposure. Where there’s a will there’s a way. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Experian. From lenders and landlords to employers and consumers, Experian helps connect the housing ecosystem with the data and insights needed to make faster, confident decisions. Lead a smarter housing journey with Experian. Today’s has an interview with PennyMac’s Isaac Boltansky on key federal policy developments shaping the housing market and broader U.S. economy.) Broker and Lender Software, Products, and Services What if your next conventional loan closed faster and saved your borrower up to $200? With Fetch & Close, eligible conventional loans move through employment and income validation automatically, with no changes to your process. Simply submit your loan as usual. If it qualifies, Fetch & Close reduces manual touchpoints, minimizes opportunities for error, and helps accelerate the path to closing. Eligible borrowers can also receive waived VOE/I fees, saving up to $200. Less work for you. Faster closings for your borrowers. Better results for everyone. Ready to close smarter? Connect with your Kind Account Executive today to learn more! Not an approved broker? Join the Kind movement and discover why more brokers are choosing Kind. Not all loans are eligible. Eligibility is based on LP AUS findings. Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-06302026 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:57:11 GMT 6a43b1b62856cf1f28ad9193 Rob Chrisman Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Experian. From lenders and landlords to employers and consumers, Experian helps connect the housing ecosystem with the data and insights needed to make faster, confident decisions. Lead a smarter housing journey with Experian. Today’s has an interview with Experian’s Likhitha Mahendar Singh how the modern first-time homebuyer has evolved, why rental payment data is reshaping how lenders identify mortgage-ready borrowers, and how a data-driven approach can help better target, underwrite, and serve the next generation of homeowners. Broker and Lender Software, Products, and Services Everyone in lending is waiting for one thing: the Fed to cut rates and the refi boom to follow. Stop waiting. Alongside its industry-leading Energy-Smart DPA Program, Arcasa introduces its new Refinance Prospecting tool: bulk-upload the clients you locked into the high 6s and 7s and instantly see who can lower their rate today, without waiting on the Fed. Prospects come sorted by impact, ready to convert with one click. Structured as a standard FHA rate-and-term or simple refinance, the Energy-Smart assistance does the heavy lifting: covering closing costs, cutting utility bills via solar, and funding rate buydowns. Because those funds can go toward the buydown, even mid-6s borrowers are in play. No second payments, no income caps, and it can help retire bonds from other assistance programs. The opportunity isn't coming; it's already in your database. Sign up for a live demo or log in and start today. Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-06292026 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:29:44 GMT 6a4264c86d186c57733b2966 Rob Chrisman Lenders often ask about improving their execution, and STRATMOR’s current blog is “Pricing That Can Help Borrowers.” MLOs occasionally ask about an online tool that can help potential borrowers understand the process. Here’s something for your new clients, especially those who are first-time home buyers: a short quiz to get them started on what to think about in financing a home. For those of us in the industry who ask about some of the terms in our business, here’s something to keep in your back pocket: The MISMO Business Glossary delivers a curated set of standardized business definitions used across the mortgage lifecycle. By providing consistent terminology, the glossary helps industry participants communicate more clearly, improve operational efficiency, and reduce misunderstandings that can lead to risk and errors. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Experian. From lenders and landlords to employers and consumers, Experian helps connect the housing ecosystem with the data and insights needed to make faster, confident decisions. Lead a smarter housing journey with Experian. Today’s has an interview with Clear Capital’s Jason Legare on why appraisal modernization adoption remains uneven despite clear efficiency gains, where alternatives such as inspection-based waivers are gaining traction, and the operational and cultural barriers slowing broader acceptance.) Broker and Lender Software, Products, and Services Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/opinion/pipelinepress-06262026 Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:10:57 GMT 6a3e73a6e85c3c39a4a8a0a4 Rob Chrisman We know that a) Congress passed a housing bill which, if not signed within 10 days, becomes law anyway, and b) U.S. presidents are known to be candid. Once again, we see the intersection of housing, lending, and politics with not only the postponement by the President of signing the bill, but also the statement of his alleged opinion about housing. The signing, originally scheduled for Wednesday, June 24, was called off just hours before it was set to begin. In a social media post, President Trump said he would not sign the housing package until Congress makes progress on separate election legislation, the SAVE America Act, which he has described as “a national emergency.” Attorney Troy Garris gives us the options on what happens next. Meanwhile, thank you to Kenneth S. who pointed out that Sheila Bair (as the head of the FDIC a central figure in the government’s response to the 2008 financial crisis and who warned about the risky mortgage lending practices that precipitated it) is warning that today’s crop of financial regulators are forgetting the lessons of that painful saga by weakening banks’ capital buffers, which act as fortifications against unpredictable losses and are intended to ward off potential taxpayer bailouts. Stay tuned. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Equifax, a global data, analytics, and technology company, helps mortgage lenders gain the borrower and market insights they need to improve efficiency and make accurate decisions. Access differentiated consumer credit data, powerful consumer and market insights, and income and employment data from The Work Number. Today’s has an Interview with Equifax’s Justin Demola on how rising credit costs, higher borrower fallout rates, and inefficient credit-pull strategies are increasing origination expenses, making it critical for lenders to manage credit usage more strategically while leveraging reforms to improve efficiency and reduce costs.) Mortgage News Daily 0 http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/rss/chrisman