Lykken on Lending

Mortgage lenders are investing millions in marketing technology, yet a staggering percentage of those tools go underused or completely idle. In this episode of Lykken on Lending , David Lykken sits down with James Duncan, Founder and Chief Marketing Strategist at Caelum Advisors, to unpack why MarTech adoption breaks down and what executives can do about it. Drawing from his experience leading mar...

In this episode of Lykken on Lending , David Lykken sits down with Garrett Maroon—founder of The Faithful Agent and the 210 Collective—to unpack what it truly means to build a successful business without sacrificing what matters most. As a husband, father of five, and top-producing Realtor who has closed over 650 homes entirely by referral, Garrett shares the hard-earned lessons behind creating ma...

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 commentary explores the growing tension between Federal Reserve policy, liquidity management, and emerging risks in the mortgage market, as panelists unpack rangebound rates, the limits of economic data, and concerns around leverage, fraud, and regulatory inconsistency. Drawing parallels to lessons from The Big Short , the discussion highlights how abundant reserves, yield-curve dynamics, and...

This podcast segment explores the rise of AI-driven mortgage fraud, real-world risks from AI hallucinations, and why human-in-the-loop controls and federal AI governance are critical for lenders and vendors. ----------------------------------------------------- Allen Pollack , Tech Consultant Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advisor, is a subject matter expert in the m...

This podcast segment breaks down the complex reasons behind the 30–40% surge in tri-merge credit report costs, examining regulatory mandates, FICO licensing fees, bureau markups, and the challenges of creating true competition without compromising fair lending or investor confidence. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Alice Alvey , Master CMB Vice President Partner...

This podcast segment explains how jobs data, the Fed’s dot plot, and reserve management purchases kept mortgage rates rangebound while markets wait for clearer inflation and employment signals. ----------------------------------------------------- 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 scratch...

Consumer Direct lending is experiencing a resurgence as mortgage professionals search for more predictable, cost-effective ways to generate leads in a challenging market. In this episode of Lykken on Lending , David Lykken sits down with Tim Slavin, CEO of The Share Group, to unpack how data science is transforming consumer direct mortgage strategies. The conversation dives into why most purchased...

12-16-2025 New Bear Trend Is "Nothing from Nothing" ------------------------- Nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'. Bears gotta have somethin' if they wanna trend to be. EU leadership has neither money nor voters’ support to stop the US-Russia Ukrainian peace deal. US wage increases are slowing. China deflates. Germany’s growth shows green shoots but remains constrained by high energy costs. Jobs a...

This podcast segment covers key mortgage-related housing reform legislation and a new federal AI policy framework that could shape compliance, innovation, and affordability across the mortgage industry. ------------------------------------------------------------- Adam DeSanctis , VP of Communications at Mortgage Bankers Association As a strategic public affairs and communications executive with n...

Mortgage lending is undergoing a fundamental shift as technology reshapes how income and employment are verified—yet the human experience remains more important than ever. In this episode of Lykken on Lending , David Lykken sits down with Shmulik Fishman, Founder and CEO of Argyle, to explore how modern income verification is transforming underwriting, reducing friction for loan officers, and impr...

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 podcast segment explores the real-world use of AI in mortgage lending, separating hype from value while examining automation tools, app fatigue, platform longevity, and the emerging “51st Date Syndrome” in AI adoption. ----------------------------------------------------- Allen Pollack , Tech Consultant Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advisor, is a subject matter...

his podcast segment breaks down the complex reasons behind the 30–40% surge in tri-merge credit report costs, examining regulatory mandates, FICO licensing fees, bureau markups, and the challenges of creating true competition without compromising fair lending or investor confidence. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Alice Alvey , Master CMB Vice President Partner E...

This podcast segment examines why bond yields surged toward the top of their recent range despite economic data failing to clearly explain the move, highlighting the role of technicals, holiday trading, and upcoming risk events. ----------------------------------------------------- Matt  began as an originator in 2002. He fell in love with the idea of following MBS in real-time but felt that...

Artificial intelligence isn’t coming to the mortgage industry—it's already here, and it’s fundamentally reshaping how lenders engage past customers, manage database outreach, and scale production without sacrificing the human touch. In this episode, AI Assistants in the Mortgage Space: How Intelligent Outreach Is Rewriting the Loan Officer Playbook , David Lykken sits down with leaders from Total...

12-09-2025 Who's The "Lost Cause" ------------------- Bears, you're lost; Bulls, you're lost; Maybe, you're a Lost Cause. With bond yields moving up, Bears have an easier path to capture the trend at 4.18 than bulls in diving below 4. Does the steepening of the coupon curve suggest no recession? According to Deutsche Bank, once the Fed begins a rate-cut cycle, the 10-year Treasury yield does not f...

This podcast segment highlights the Senate’s advancement of major housing finance nominees and reminds IMBs to register for MBA’s premier conference ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. ------------------------------------------------------------- Adam DeSanctis , VP of Communications at Mortgage Bankers Association As a strategic public affairs and communications executive with nearly two decades o...

In this episode of Lykken on Lending , we explore The Quantum Mindset: Resilience Lessons That Redefine Success , featuring an extraordinary story of overcoming unimaginable beginnings and rising into purpose, gratitude, and impact. Through vivid examples—bees modeling sweetness, the observer effect, and collapsing the wave of possibility—our guest shows how leaders can transform their reality by...

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...

In this wide-ranging market commentary, David Lykken, Bill, Kittle, and Alice break down why interest rates remain trapped in a tight range despite economic noise and why market reactions often have more to do with trader psychology than global fundamentals. While short-term volatility grabs headlines, the deeper issue facing today’s housing market is affordability—driven not by rates alone, but b...

Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advisor, is a subject matter expert in the mortgage origination process along with software product management and software development. In today’s financial services push to all things Digital, Allen has been helping lenders and financial services solution providers align their digital transformation and technology strategies by removi...

This podcast segment breaks down the complex reasons behind the 30–40% surge in tri-merge credit report costs, examining regulatory mandates, FICO licensing fees, bureau markups, and the challenges of creating true competition without compromising fair lending or investor confidence. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Alice Alvey , Master CMB Vice President Partner...

This podcast segment explains why post-Thanksgiving rate volatility is less about Japan’s rate-hike rumors and more about normal market noise, as traders position ahead of key economic data and a Fed meeting now operating without the delayed jobs report. ----------------------------------------------------- Matt  began as an originator in 2002. He fell in love with the idea of following MBS i...

In this powerful episode of Lykken on Lending , David Lykken sits down with social media prospecting expert and author Michelle Berman-Mikel to unpack the discipline, mindset, and daily actions that fuel real business growth in today’s noisy digital world. Drawing from her competitive swimming background and her bestselling book The Black Line , Michelle reveals how the same focus required to swim...