Lykken on Lending

This podcast segment explores how AI is transforming productivity, decision-making, and personalized insights while raising important concerns about accuracy, overreliance, and the need for human fact-checking and judgment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Marc Helm , CEO, and Author Marc Helm serves as a Principal Partner at Tr...

This podcast segment explores how mortgage lenders are adopting AI and automation to improve workflows, borrower engagement, and operational efficiency while highlighting the risks of scaling flawed processes without proper training and strategy. ----------------------------------------------------- Allen Pollack , Tech Consultant Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advis...

This is the last part of the 3-part podcast episode with LoanWorks that explores how AI and automation are fundamentally reshaping the role of the modern loan officer. David Lykken and Pavan Agrawal discuss the shift away from administrative “busy work” and toward relationship-driven mortgage origination. Through stories from top-producing loan officers and real-world operational examples, they ex...

This podcast segment examines how rising oil prices, geopolitical conflict, increased Treasury issuance, and fiscal pressures are contributing to higher bond yields and continued upward pressure on mortgage rates. ----------------------------------------------------- Matt began as an originator in 2002. He fell in love with the idea of following MBS in real-time but felt that existing products wer...

05-05-2026 Running in "Circles" ---------------------- Rates couldn't turn around 'Til they were upside down Powell said that he’s gone, yet he’ll be around for a while. Trump underscored that the blockade would last as long as it takes. So, the guessing game remains in place: when will the pressure on Oil prices ease, and will they drag growth more than drive inflation? The 10-year yield spins in...

This podcast segment breaks down FHFA’s push to modernize mortgage credit scoring through the rollout of VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, aiming to increase competition and expand borrower access. ------------------------------------------------------------- Adam DeSanctis , VP of Communications at Mortgage Bankers Association As a strategic public affairs and communications executive with nearly tw...

This Hot Topic dives into one of the most complex and consequential moments in mortgage and housing finance, where policy uncertainty, affordability pressure, and rapid AI innovation are colliding. Industry veteran Tim Rood joins to break down what’s really happening inside the Beltway—from why housing continues to take a back seat in Washington, to the structural imbalances between buyers and sel...

The Lykken on Lending Weekly Mortgage Update  delivers expert commentary and timely insights from across the mortgage industry. Each episode features a curated lineup of respected thought leaders and analysts: Adam DeSanctis  with the  MBA Mortgage Minute , providing key updates from the Mortgage Bankers Association. Les Parker’s  TMSpotlight  offers a macroeconomic perspe...

This episode explores a mortgage market caught at the intersection of global uncertainty and potential policy transformation, as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to influence bond markets and interest rate direction while anticipation builds around possible changes in Federal Reserve leadership. With many expecting lower rates—but only if stability returns—industry experts break d...

This podcast segment explores how rapid AI adoption in mortgage lending is creating innovation opportunities while overwhelming lenders with too many tools and not enough strategic clarity. ----------------------------------------------------- Allen Pollack , Tech Consultant Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advisor, is a subject matter expert in the mortgage originatio...

This podcast segment captures growing industry frustration as lenders and experts question the execution, costs, and real impact of FHFA’s credit scoring rollout despite years of development. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Alice Alvey , Master CMB Vice President Partner Education and Training at  Union Home Mortgage She handles development of their World Cl...

This podcast segment explains how bond markets and mortgage rates remain in a holding pattern as investors wait for clarity on the Iran conflict, with geopolitical headlines outweighing economic data. ----------------------------------------------------- Matt  began as an originator in 2002. He fell in love with the idea of following MBS in real-time but felt that existing products were only...

04-29-20.26 Europe’s Growth "Headed For A Heartbreak" ----------------- Mining came, but US blocked the Oil. Bye, Iran’s money. The blockade will lead to the closure of Iran's oil wells and a freeze on revenue. Bonds know that the Strait of Hormuz will open eventually. However, Oil and the Dollar dance to the tune of war headlines. Iran’s mullahs are pawns of the military, and its civil leade...

This podcast segment breaks down FHFA’s push to modernize mortgage credit scoring through the rollout of VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, aiming to increase competition and expand borrower access. ------------------------------------------------------------- Adam DeSanctis , VP of Communications at Mortgage Bankers Association As a strategic public affairs and communications executive with nearly tw...

The mortgage industry isn’t simply adopting AI—it’s undergoing a structural shift in how work actually gets done. In this episode, David Lykken sits down with Troy Kennedy, CEO of LoanWorks, to unpack what really changes when AI is embedded directly into workflow infrastructure. Instead of layering automation onto broken processes, this conversation challenges the industry to rethink coordination,...

What separates mortgage companies that simply survive from those that truly endure? In this episode, David Lykken sits down with the leadership team behind Alcova Mortgage to unpack the real operating principles behind long-term success. Drawing inspiration from Built to Last , the conversation goes far beyond production numbers and into the core of what actually sustains a company—strong culture,...

The Lykken on Lending Weekly Mortgage Update  delivers expert commentary and timely insights from across the mortgage industry. Each episode features a curated lineup of respected thought leaders and analysts: Adam DeSanctis  with the  MBA Mortgage Minute , providing key updates from the Mortgage Bankers Association. Les Parker’s  TMSpotlight  offers a macroeconomic perspe...

Global events are once again taking center stage in shaping the direction of mortgage rates, and the impact is anything but straightforward. In this segment, industry experts unpack how ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly surrounding energy supply and the Strait of Hormuz, are influencing oil prices, inflation expectations, and ultimately interest rates. While there’s a clear desire for ra...

This podcast segment explores how the rapid rise of AI tools is creating overload and fatigue for mortgage professionals, highlighting the need for focused strategies and simplified adoption to drive real results. ----------------------------------------------------- Allen Pollack , Tech Consultant Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advisor, is a subject matter expert in...

This podcast segment reflects on remarkable real-life coincidences that spark a deeper conversation about whether life’s unexpected connections are random or part of a greater design. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Marc Helm , CEO, and Author Marc Helm serves as a Principal Partner at Transformational Mortgage Solutions, bring...

This podcast segment explores how rising loan pipelines are colliding with industry fatigue, driving a wave of consolidation as some mortgage lenders scale for growth while others choose to exit. ----------------------------------------- David G. Kittle, CMB is a highly respected leader in the mortgage industry, with over 45 years of experience. He is the Co-Founder and Chairman of The Mortga...

This podcast segment explores how rising AI adoption is creating new compliance, liability, and operational risks for mortgage lenders, requiring stronger governance, oversight, and risk management strategies. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Alice Alvey , Master CMB Vice President Partner Education and Training at  Union Home Mortgage She handles development...

This podcast segment explains how ongoing war-driven headlines and market fatigue are keeping mortgage rates range-bound despite shifting oil prices and largely ignored economic data. ----------------------------------------------------- Matt  began as an originator in 2002. He fell in love with the idea of following MBS in real-time but felt that existing products were only scratching the su...

4-21-2026 "You Spin Me Round" The Strait of Hormuz ------------------------ Iran, you get to know the game. The blockade caused Iran to see the end of its oil revenue. So, the civilian leadership agreed not to impede any ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and to surrender their nuclear material. Oil and mortgage rates fell. Over the weekend, the military declared the Strait close...

This first installment in a three-part series challenges one of the most repeated narratives in mortgage today—that the industry is “broken.” Drawing on decades of perspective, David Lykken reframes today’s pressures not as failure, but as the natural result of an operating model that has been pushed beyond its original design. While the legacy model was built for volume, headcount, and manual con...