Dec. 19: Advisor, LO jobs coast to coast; credit review, HELOC, 2nd products; news from Freddie & Fannie
The way time flies can be jaw dropping; change is constant. (Lenders wonder if the change to Federal workers holidays next week impacts wiring.) Sunday is the Winter Solstice, a time when plenty of nature lovers, witches, and wiccas head to unique outdoor venues and celebrate the gradual, daily increase in daylight for the next six months. Something else that is jaw dropping is… Toni Basil. You know, of “Mickey” fame? She’s 82 years old and interacted with Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby! At the recent Banner Bank annual mortgage sales conference, Ken Larsen reminded me that not every logo and brand remains unchanged. In fact, he pointed out that, in this state of the original Starbucks in Seattle, the logo has changed quite a bit from its racy origins. Around the time of the Banner event, the nearly 40 Bank of America branches announced a minimum wage of $25 per hour, likely to impact other financial service sector businesses and further strain lender profitability if they have to match $52k a year of salary. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s are sponsored by The Refi Recapture Engine from LO Autopilot that uncovered 108 refi-ready loans worth more than $52M at a single branch. Your database holds the same hidden volume. Hear an Interview with Digital Niche Agency’s Jason Fishman on creative capital deployment solutions for lenders and how the borrower credit box is expanding responsibly.)
Employment; IMBs wanted for purchase or partnership
_________________________________________________
Synergy One Lending is seeking an Online Home Loan Advisor to serve as the first point of contact for prospective borrowers, guiding them through the mortgage process with clarity, confidence, and care. The ideal candidate brings 3+ years of direct-to-consumer mortgage origination experience, the ability to interview, evaluate, and close loans with minimal oversight, high technical aptitude (including CRM, Microsoft tools, and AI-driven solutions), and a passion for client service. A minimum of 10 active state NMLS licenses, including California, is required, along with successful completion of background screening and ongoing training to stay current with industry standards. If interested, please reach out to JJ Jerotz.
Tony Taveekanjana didn't spend 20+ years in mortgage and banking to join just another lender. As Cornerstone Capital Bank's new VP of Growth and Market Expansion of the National Retail Home Lending Division, Tony T. was attracted to Cornerstone’s well-capitalized platform that actually delivers: bank-powered niche portfolio loans, the ability for loan officers to originate across state lines without individual licensing, a fully in-house servicing team with best-in-industry customer service scores, an unmatched operational support-to-loan officer ratio, and the leading joint venture mortgage platform in the country. Right now, Tony T.'s building a national team of originators who share the same mindset, the ones who value industry-leading operational horsepower over recruiting pitches. Sound like you? Contact Tony T. to have a conversation.
“At Evergreen Home Loans, retaining servicing is central to how we care for customers and support our loan officers. By keeping servicing in-house whenever possible, we maintain a single, trusted point of contact for homeowners from the first payment through every financing decision that follows. Our servicing team uses modern tools, thoughtful outreach, and educational touchpoints to help customers stay informed and confident about their mortgage. This consistent, relationship-driven approach leads to higher retention, a better homeowner experience, and stronger results for referral partners who want their clients in good hands long term. For loan officers, it means greater recapture opportunities and a powerful story to tell in a competitive market. For more info on Evergreen visit here.”
Building Mortgage Infrastructure Is Expensive. Competing Without It Costs More. You see it in your numbers. Per-loan expenses are still high. Regulators expect bank-level standards on capital, servicing oversight, and data protection. Borrowers expect a clean digital experience. At $500M–$2B in volume, you carry big-company obligations on mid-market economics. Many owners in your position feel like they are rebuilding the same technology stack and processes as much larger institutions, without the same scale to support it. A privately held national mortgage company that has invested heavily in AI automation, data, servicing, and compliance is acquiring and partnering with IMBs in this band. Partners connect to best-in-class technology and a national lead-generation platform that lower unit costs and expand production capacity without matching headcount growth. The result is a business that is simpler to run, less fragile, and better equipped for the next cycle. If you want a concrete view of what your platform could look like on institutional rails, start a confidential dialogue.
The Chrisman Job Board is the go-to platform for employment opportunities across the mortgage industry. For employers, adding a job listing is easy. Simply create an account and drop in your existing application link, or forward the details to our team and we’ll take care of it for you. For job seekers, joining our Talent Community is completely free. Upload your resume to be visible to hiring companies across the industry and stay connected to new opportunities as they go live.
Lender and broker services, products, and software
_________________________________________________
Newrez Wholesale has enhanced its partner protection program with Newrez Broker Protect, delivering broader and longer coverage for approved partners. Starting January 1, 2026, all approved broker partners receive 18 months of solicitation protection on funded Agency and Government loans. RezClub members gain even more with 30-month protection and a simplified 4-point qualification system. Plus, Newrez retains servicing on the vast majority of loans it originates, helping brokers build lasting customer relationships through protection programs, payoff referrals, and marketing support. Contact your Account Executive for details. Not signed up with Newrez Wholesale yet? Click here.
“Arc Home’s Closed End Second gives delegated correspondents strong execution, with pricing as high as 107.5 on eligible scenarios. We offer fixed rate terms of 10, 15, 20, and 30 years. With loan amounts up to 500,000. CLTVs up to 80% on primary, second homes and investment properties eligible. Keep the low rate first lien in place while solving for cash, liquidity, and tax planning needs. Our team provides experience that keeps the process simple from lock to purchase. Let’s review eligibility, sample structures, and packaging tips so files move predictably. To schedule a meeting and learn more, contact Elliott Grumer.”
“It’s been a record-breaking year for Spring EQ. And even though the year is winding down, we’re keeping the momentum going into 2026. Spring EQ now offers premium pricing on all products, giving you the opportunity to help your customers keep more money upfront by lowering their closing costs and choosing a higher rate (lump sum can’t exceed closing costs). With premium pricing, you can offer true no closing cost home equity loans, provide a better customer experience, and create more flexibility at closing. Lender paid compensation (LPC) is also now available on all products, including HELOANs, HELOCs, and our unique FIXLINE (fixed-rate HELOC). We have one other major product announcement coming your way. Keep an eye out for details in early January and contact your Spring EQ Account Executive to learn more. Visit EMMA to price, process, and manage your loans today. Not a partner? Join us: Wholesale | Correspondent.”
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.
Free credit review
_________________________________________________
With low pricing, excellent customer service, no hidden fees, and convenient technology integrations, L1 Credit delivers the flexibility and value you need. The comprehensive suite includes credit, flood, fraud, and verification products, all backed by the high standard of service you expect from Lenders One. Don’t wait: request your FREE cost-savings review today and discover how L1 Credit can help you offset rising costs and protect your bottom line.
Freddie and Fannie news doesn’t cease
_________________________________________________
The Unresolved Fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Robbie Chrisman writes, “The long running debate over the future of the GSEs remains unresolved because it sits at the intersection of politics, capital markets, and housing policy. From my vantage point, meaningful movement toward privatization seems inevitable at some point, but the timeline is anything but clear.
“Early on, it was easy to assume that eventual privatization would be logical and even profitable for investors. Today, the path feels far less predictable. Once decisions move fully into the political arena, traditional forecasting breaks down.
“What often gets overlooked in these conversations is not just how privatization might affect rates, but how it could affect innovation. Under conservatorship, the GSEs operate with significant constraints. They cannot truly make underwriting decisions, only validate data that lenders provide. A shift to a different structure could dramatically change how property values, income verification, and underwriting decisions are made, especially as technology evolves. Those changes would not happen overnight. Even under aggressive scenarios, we are likely years away from meaningful structural shifts unless political pressure accelerates timelines unexpectedly.” Thank you, Robbie.
Meanwhile, F&F continue to make changes.
In Freddie Mac’s ongoing effort to enhance your experience with tools, they’ve introduced a new application programming interface (API) to help streamline and expedite the loan delivery process within Loan Selling Advisor. Learn more about how Freddie Mac APIs can help simplify and expedite the loan selling and delivery process.
Fannie Mae SEL-2025-10 December Selling Guide key updates include HomeStyle® Refresh, a rebranded version of HomeStyle® Energy with expanded financing options and streamlined requirements; expand HomeStyle® Renovation eligible upfront disbursements, removing $50,000 renovation caps for manufactured homes, and clarifying using limited cash-out refinance transactions to buy out a co-owner’s interest; eliminate the 3% acceptability requirement for 7- and 10-year ARMs; broaden property eligibility criteria for accessory dwelling units and manufactured homes, and; remove inconsistencies and adding additional resources and clarity to prevent fraudulent transactions.
Freddie Mac published Guide Bulletin 2025-16 includes information on 2026 Loan Limit Values, AI Governance and More.
Fannie Mae’s December 3rd Selling + Servicing News includes details on new servicing report, manufactured housing webinar, and more.
Capital markets: yeah, we can expect another Fed cut
_________________________________________________
It was a calm but constructive day for bond and mortgage markets yesterday: U.S. Treasuries rebounded sharply from midweek losses, led by intermediate maturities, as supportive global (expected Bank of England cut, unchanged ECB policy) and domestic (dovish rhetoric from President Trump, and a favorable inflation backdrop) signals steadied rates. Events were highlighted by inflation cooling meaningfully in November, with both headline and core CPI falling into the mid-2 percent range and coming in below expectations, reinforcing the broader disinflation trend despite data-collection noise. While the magnitude of the slowdown may be overstated due to some missing monthly data, the softer inflation backdrop strengthens the case for Fed rate cuts beginning in March and June as policymakers gain more flexibility to support a weakening labor market.
After increasing last week, mortgage rates fell in the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey from Freddie Mac. For the week ending December 18, the 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates fell 1-basis point and 7-basis points to 6.21 percent and 5.47 percent, respectively, which is 4-basis points and 6-basis points off the year-to-date lows and 51-basis points and 45-basis points lower from a year ago.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae are currently channeling a historically large share of mortgage credit to first-time home buyers, largely because refinancing activity has collapsed and new issuance is overwhelmingly purchase-driven, with Ginnie Mae leading the way at nearly 70 percent first-time buyer share in its 30-year issuance this year. While first-time buyers generally have lower credit scores (especially in Ginnie Mae pools) and exhibit higher serious delinquency rates than repeat buyers (particularly after the first year), their loan characteristics such as debt-to-income ratios are broadly similar. Performance differences matter most for investors: repeat buyers show meaningfully lower delinquency risk and higher early curtailments, especially in conventional pools, reflecting stronger balance sheets and the ability to use prior home-sale proceeds to pay down new mortgages. As a result, premium buyers may prefer pools weighted toward repeat borrowers to reduce buyout risk, while those seeking to minimize early curtailments may favor Ginnie Mae pools or conventional pools with a heavier concentration of first-time buyers.
Today’s economic calendar kicks off later this morning and includes final December Michigan sentiment and existing home sales for November. Sentiment is expected to decrease and home sales are seen slipping to 3.95 million annually from a 4.31 million reading in October. We begin the day with Agency MBS prices little changed from Thursday’s close, the 2-year yielding 3.47, and the 10-year yielding 4.14 after closing yesterday at 4.12 percent.
Santa was very cross. It was Christmas Eve, and NOTHING was going right.
Mrs. Claus had burned all the cookies.
The elves were complaining about not getting paid for the overtime they had worked making toys and were threatening to go on strike.
The reindeer had been drinking eggnog all afternoon.
To make matters worse, a few of the other elves had taken the sleigh out for a spin earlier in the day and had crashed it into a tree.
Santa was furious. “I can’t believe it! I’ve got to deliver millions of presents all over the world in just a few hours, and all my reindeer are drunk, the elves are walking out, and I don’t even have a Christmas tree! I sent that stupid little angel out HOURS ago to find a tree and he isn’t even back yet! What am I going to do?”
Just then, the little angel opened the front door and stepped in from the snowy night, dragging a Christmas tree.
The angel said, “Yo, fat man! Where do you want me to stick the tree this year?”
And thus, the tradition of angels atop the Christmas trees came to pass…
Visit www.ChrismanCommentary.com for more information on our industry partners, access archived commentaries, or subscribe to the Daily Mortgage News and Commentary. You can also explore the Chrisman Marketplace, a centralized hub connecting mortgage professionals with trusted vendors and solutions. If you’re interested, check out my periodic blog on the STRATMOR Group website. This month’s piece is titled, “Artificial Intelligence in Mortgage Lending.” The Commentary’s podcast is available on all major platforms, including Apple and Spotify.
qoɹ
(Market data provided in partnership with MBS Live. For free job postings and to view candidate resumes, visit the Chrisman Job Board. This newsletter is intended for sophisticated mortgage professionals only. There are no paid endorsements by me. For the latest mortgage news, visit Mortgage News Daily. For archived commentaries, or to subscribe, go to www.ChrismanCommentary.com. Copyright 2025 Chrisman LLC. All rights reserved. Paid job & product listings do appear. This report or any portion hereof may not be reprinted, sold, or redistributed without the written consent of Rob Chrisman. The views and opinions in this newsletter are mine alone unless otherwise specifically stated herein.)