Housing News

This week on the Power House podcast, we sat down with Jason Pinson, the founder and CEO of Rocktop Technologies, a suite of fintech applications driven by AI and machine learning designed to manage risk on behalf of its clients and partners. Rocktop — and Jason himself — are on a mission to tackle two significant issues in housing: the influx of poor and poorly managed data, and the error-prone processes that undermine asset quality and value. Today we are delving into Jason's career journey and thesis, starting from his days at Bear Stearns to his multi-decade crusade to enhance efficiency and returns for investors in the mortgage industry. Clayton and Jason talk about Rocktop’s efforts aimed at preventing the errors and inefficiencies that reduce mortgage investors’ yields, a problem that ultimately makes housing less efficient and more expensive. They also talk about data standardization, the role of organizations like MISMO, and the expertise and talents behind successful AI and machine learning implemen

This week, we welcome Peter Maglathlin to the Power House podcast. Peter is the CEO of Sierra Interactive, an end-to-end real estate platform developing software and services for residential real estate agents, teams and brokers. Originally founded in 2007, it was acquired by Alpine Software Group in 2022.  Today’s conversation with Peter is for all the real estate tech, entrepreneurship and investing nerds out there. Clayton and Peter geek out together about Peter’s entrepreneurial journey and the ins and outs of running and developing a successful SaaS business in the real estate and mortgage ecosystem. They also talk about the changes on the horizon for housing now that the NAR-settlement is close around the corner.  Listen to gain better insight into how those changes are not only directly affecting real estate professionals, but also the technology and investing spaces that have built the industry’s foundation. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Entrepreneurship involves a willingness to sell and th

On today’s episode, we have an exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversation with a guest who has an amazing perspective and depth of knowledge in investing and business operation strategy, Bonnie Wilhelm. Bonnie is the CEO of the Andromeda Group and COO of Perseus inside of Constellation Software. Constellation acquires and operates Vertical Market Software (VMS) throughout a broad target of industries, including housing. In 2023, Constellation acquired two of the most important technology assets in housing: Optimal Blue and Dark Matter, which was formerly Black Knight. Their influence spans far and wide across many facets of the housing and mortgage ecosystem, even if the name isn’t one that you may recognize at first glance. Bonnie’s conversation with Clayton gives us a glimpse into the intricate investing and operating strategy at Constellation, where they strongly believe in holding acquired businesses into perpetuity. She also talks about decentralizing operations down to day-to-day minutia and how they’re

Today, we welcome two wonderful guests to the Power House podcast: Rick Roque and Andrew Maas. Rick is the EVP of Retail Growth and Strategy at Sierra Pacific Mortgage with 20+ years in retail mortgage banking, acquiring, managing and growing production volume & market share in companies across the US. Andrew is the Co-Founder & CEO of Pointable, focusing on large-scale deep learning for spoken and written language tasks and has previously worked on data-centric deep learning approaches at Apple. Both Rick and Andrew are going to be joining us as speakers in July for HousingWire’s AI Summit. Clayton’s conversation with Rick and Andrew focuses on the adoption and use cases of artificial intelligence in the mortgage space. According to Rick, current mortgage boardroom sentiment toward AI is “complete confusion” and full of worry about how it will affect the bottom line. They want to demystify that. Strategic AI adoption will split lenders into two groups: those who leverage efficiency tools and those who don’t.

Today we are chatting with Phil DeFronzo, the founder, president and CEO of mortgage wholesaler TPO Go. Phil, who has been in the mortgage business since 1989, was the former CEO of Norcom Mortgage before he sold the retail business to CMG Financial and pursued the wholesale business. Phil and Clayton talk about his career journey over the past three decades, how he got to where he was today, and the interesting people he met and learned from along the way — including the mentorship of the late Dave Stevens. They also talk about TPO Go’s strategy to differentiate itself and where he sees growth for the industry in the coming years in spaces like renovation loans and automation processes. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Opportunities for growth often arise in challenging times. Focusing on profitability is key to weathering market changes. Renovation loans offer significant market potential, especially in aging housing stock. Brokers with strong product knowledge have a competitive advantage. Autom

On today's episode, we had the pleasure of sitting down with an extraordinary guest you might already know. Since 2014, he has consistently been ranked as the number one real estate educator by the Swanepoel Power 200. Tom is not only a prolific author, but also the Founder and CEO of Ferry International. With a massive following on YouTube and social media, and over 30,000 hours of one-on-one coaching with agents and industry experts under his belt, we are thrilled to welcome Tom Ferry to the Power House podcast. Tom and Clayton’s chat is all about entrepreneurship, personal branding and marketing, and building a strategic approach to business growth in a changing market. He has had a lot of successes — and just as many failures. Now, Tom has a strong focus on building a client-first approach to sales and also has some really interesting thoughts to share about AI, the rise of artisan agents, and scaling a new business through personalized team-building. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: A client-first

In this week’s episode, Clayton got the chance to sit down with the president & CEO of UMortgage, Anthony Casa, who joined us in person last month in Scottsdale for The Gathering. During their conversation, Anthony talks about how he went from dropping out of school at only 13 to being the president and CEO of UMortgage, and how his experience during the financial crisis carefully shapes how he approaches his business today. They also talk about finding growth in a shrinking market and the craft of walking a fine line between competition and a consumer-first approach. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Building relationships and providing a great customer experience are key in the mortgage industry. The housing crisis taught Casa the importance of focusing on relationships rather than transactions. Transitioning from one business to another requires developing a strong team and passing on the reins. Casa believes in putting the consumer first and creating a personalized experience. Competition and ba

This week we are sharing an exclusive conversation recorded live at The Gathering in Scottsdale, this time with the esteemed Chris Heller, current president at OJO and former CEO of Keller Williams. Chris has worn many hats with over 35 years of experience in the real estate industry in multiple leadership and advisory roles under his belt.  In today’s conversation with Clayton, they talk about OJO’s consumer-facing rebrand to Movoto and their recent acquisition of The LEAD Syndicate to launch Lever, a platform delivering an all-in solution suite for agents. They also talk about anticipated changes on the horion as the commission changes take effect, such as an industry-wide shift of fewer, more experienced agents and a downward trend in commissions. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The Lead Syndicate acquisition aims to enhance services for solo agents and provide support in areas such as database management, marketing, and transactions. The upcoming changes in the real estate industry will require a

This week we are bringing you a sponsored episode recorded live in Scottsdale at The Gathering 2024. Our wonderful guests are Scott Rerucha, the CEO and co-founder of Legacy Group Capital, and Ed Messman, the CIO of Legacy Group Capital. Legacy Group Capital is a private lending company that helps builders and real estate investors acquire property more easily than traditional bank financing.  Scott brings over three decades of industry experience from several financial institutions throughout the Puget Sound Region. Ed has over two decades of executive leadership experience with venture capital and private equity-sponsored technology companies. Legacy Group Capital recently announced its acquisition of Rook, a home equity investment company that focuses on providing innovative financing solutions for homebuyers. They discuss the rationale behind the acquisition and their hopes to focus on a group of homebuyers they call the “missing middle.” They also discuss housing affordability issues at large, the state

In today’s sponsored episode of Power House, we’re excited to chat with Pat Dodd, the CEO of CoreLogic. Pat brings decades of experience in data and analytics with various roles at Nielsen before joining CoreLogic in 2020 and being named President and CEO in 2022. During their conversation today, Clayton and Pat talk about CoreLogic’s data-driven approach to solving clients’ technology needs and how their Discovery Platform is providing unique granular property insights to help clients make informed decisions when predicting homebuyer behaviors and property risks. They also talk about the wave of different generative AI tools and how they’re fine-tuning their “truth set” to help professionals optimize their day to day. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Pat Dodd's diverse background in various industries, including data analytics, technology, media, marketing, retail, and package goods, influences his leadership at CoreLogic. CoreLogic focuses on providing B2B solutions and leveraging acquired data sets

In today's episode of Power House, we're excited to have Steve Capezza, president of Side and former SVP of Business Operations at Zillow Group, where he spent nearly a decade shaping the future of real estate. According to 2023 RealTrends Verified data, Side had 23,000 transaction sides last year, equating to 22 billion in volume, making them the ninth largest brokerage in the country by volume and the third independent. In this conversation, Steve and Clayton discuss brokerage teams and teamerage-specific models, and the impact of the proposed NAR settlement on the real estate ecosystem. Steve also shares communication and coordination strategies between agents and lenders, explaining how those strategies lead to excellent consumer relationships. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The future of real estate is being held up by the best practitioners who provide the best service to consumers. The proposed settlement by NAR may accelerate the off-boarding of hobbyists from the industry. Buyers and selle

On today’s episode of Power House, we welcome Liz Gehringer, the president and CEO of Anywhere Franchise Brands. She brings with her a depth of industry knowledge as she’s responsible for strategic growth, marketing and operations across Coldwell Banker Affiliates, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, CENTURY 21, and ERA Real Estate. Clayton and Liz’s conversation today dives deep into the core themes of this show: business growth, leadership, and operational strategy. She talks about her path to leadership, helping others grow through challenges, and approaching the continuation of professional education. In a post-settlement landscape, Liz sees real value in being a generalist and developing a wide range of skills as agent’s roles continue to evolve. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Seek new challenges and take on stretch assignments to grow as a leader. Develop a wide range of skills to become a strong generalist. Trust and brand reputation are crucial in the real esta

On today’s episode of Power House, Clayton sits down with Cory Vasquez, the chief marketing officer and most recently promoted to co-president, alongside Vinnie Tracey, at Realty ONE Group. Cory is 20-year communications veteran and joined Realty ONE Group in late 2018 bringing along with her years of experience in a host of communications fields. During their conversation, Cory talks about her unique background in marketing and communications and how that fits into the world of leading a real estate brokerage at this really unique time for the industry. They also discuss Realty One’s 100% commission model and some of the 2023 performance stats that landed them on the RealTrends Verified Brokerage Rankings. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Realty One Group has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with over 400 locations throughout the US and 20 countries. The 100% commission model at Realty One Group attracts agents who want to keep more of their commission and offers comprehensive coaching

This week, we are bringing you a conversation with Leo Pareja, the Chief Strategy Officer at eXp Realty, recorded live with HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins.  eXp was reported as the largest brokerage in the county by sides with 355,000 transaction sides in 2023, according to RealTrends Verified 2024 broker rankings. This discussion with Pareja aims to bring clarity to chaos by squashing misinformation about the recently proposed real estate commission lawsuit settlement. Collins and Pareja discuss the proposed settlement's impact on the home purchase processes, compensation and home prices. Pareja provides guidance for agents and other housing professionals on communicating with consumers and partners and staying focused on servicing home buyers and sellers. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Agents should focus on operational strategy, clear communication, and adapting to the changes in the industry Buyer representation contracts and compensation structures will likely still see changes in the future.

On today’s episode of Power House, we are dropping a fantastic conversation with the myth, the legend: Logan Mohatshami, lead analyst at HousingWire. Logan gives a glimpse behind the curtains of his life and his transition to writing about real estate and economic data. In a previous life, Logan was a high school basketball coach, but has since built his housing career on his passion and obsession for timely and accurate economic data and analyses. He and Clayton talk about the challenges that come with managing a market that never sleeps, the impact of inflation, and the potential for a housing boom in the coming years.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Accurate and timely data analysis is crucial in the housing industry. Storytelling is essential for conveying complex economic concepts to a broader audience. Managing a 24/7 market requires passion, dedication, and a strong work ethic. The housing market has the potential for a boom in the 2020s. Related to this episode: Connect with Logan on Li

On today’s episode of Power House, we are bringing you a fantastic conversation with Mike Tassone, COO and co-founder of Own Up. Own Up is a concierge mortgage marketplace that allows consumers to access customized data and a network of vetted lenders. Prior to his current role, Mike co-led the residential lending business for Leader Bank, which he helped grow to a top 40 lender in the US during his tenure. During their conversation, Clayton and Mike talk about the mortgage lender growth strategies, tactics to recruit high-quality loan originators, and the pros and cons of being maniacal Fed-watchers. They also discuss the pricing ecosystem in the mortgage industry and how the NAR settlement may impact mortgage lead gen and the order-of-operations of the homebuying and financing journey. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The recent Fed meeting had no surprises and the market responded favorably to the expected rate cuts. Own Up was founded to solve the frustration of mortgage shopping and provide a bet

On today's episode of Power House, we're bringing you a special feature in honor of International Women's Day, which was last Friday, March 8th, and Women's Month, which is the whole month of March. This special feature spotlights two industry powerhouses. HousingWire editor-in-chief Sarah Wheeler leads a conversation with First American Financial Corp. Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi. During their conversation, Sarah and Odeta talk about home ownership among single, female heads of households, other demographic trends, and what's in store for the spring housing market. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Single women home ownership has been on the rise, driven by higher educational attainment and earning power. The pandemic had a disproportionate impact on women's employment, but single women have shown resilience and financial growth. The spring home buying market is expected to be more moderate due to the lack of significant decline in mortgage rates. Inventory levels remain low, but even a sligh

In October of 2023 we invited Frank Martell to the stage at HousingWire Annual to chat with Clayton Collins about his new role as CEO of loanDepot and progress toward his Vision 2025 plan. Today, we are bringing you that conversation to your feed as a glimpse into what we call "Battlefield Playbooks” and to preview the amazing interviews that you’ll experience on stage at The Gathering coming up on April 21. Frank and Clayton discuss his vision for loanDepot's future, market trends, regulatory challenges, and more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The strategic plan that loanDepot is implementing that emphasizes adaptability to current realities while exploring future opportunities The importance of focusing on balancing near-term ROI with long-term infrastructure investments, particularly in technology The benefits of having different but complementary leadership styles within your organization, and how Frank thinks about his strengths and experience in contrasts to founder Anthony Hsieh  Related

Today, we are bringing to you a conversation with two wonderful guests: Kyle Draper, speaker, author, and video marketing therapist, and Brian Vieaux, the president and COO at FinLocker.  Kyle and Brian have combined their industry knowledge and networks to co-author a book titled “Rethink Everything: You ‘Know’ About Being a Next Gen Loan Officer” which features a lot of valuable insights and knowledge of what you need to know about next generation loan origination from 37 different industry voices and leaders.  “Adopting an educator-first mindset, coupled with a willingness to reach, assist, engage and nurture early-journey first-time homebuyers, are the defining attributes of a next-gen loan officer. This book aims to empower mortgage professionals to cultivate these essential qualities,” Vieaux said. They share a lot of that knowledge today during their conversation, including the importance of having a social media presence and strategy, how the different methods and platforms can be utilized to reach th

Today’s guest is Joe Welu, founder and CEO of Total Expert. Since launching the business in 2012, Joe has led the business from startup to industry leader – trusted by more than 200 leading financial institutions. Total Expert is a five-time recipient of HousingWire’s Tech100 award and Joe is a multi-year recipient of the HousingWire Vanguard Award.  During today’s conversation, Joe explains the early lenders and partnerships that helped shape Total Expert's platform and success, as well as his strategic approach to building and evolving the leadership team. Joe shares his insights on AI not as a trend, but as a tool used to increase productivity and better enhance customer engagement. He also discusses generational trends in homeownership and the opportunities that he sees for lenders to nurture future homeowners.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Delivering the perfect customer journey is key to success in the mortgage industry Prioritizing excellence and making necessary changes to the leadership t