On The Highway

June's economic data painted a mixed picture, with hiring coming in below expectations while the housing market continued to show resilience. The June jobs report fell short of forecasts, the ADP report pointed to only modest private-sector hiring, and other labor market indicators offered a mixed view of overall employment conditions. At the same time, home prices continued to build on recent gai...

Join Shelly Williams on the latest episode of the On The Highway Podcast as she breaks down May's inflation report, which reached its highest level in three years, while explaining how falling oil prices could help ease inflation pressures in the months ahead. She also covers the latest housing data as new home sales fell to their second-lowest level in nearly four years and reviews the latest GDP...

In this episode of On the Highway, Bridgette Hardonk talks with top-producing loan officer Brandon Poulos about what it really takes to build a lasting mortgage career. Drawing from more than 20 years in the industry, Brandon shares lessons on adapting through market shifts, building strong referral relationships, creating structure through themed workdays, and why proactive communication remains...

Markets received encouraging news as the United States and Iran agreed to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, reducing concerns about global energy supplies. At the same time, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged in Kevin Warsh's first meeting as Chair. Housing data painted a mixed picture, with homebuilders pulling back on new construction while pending home sales...

When it comes to home prices, one of the most important forces is simple: supply and demand.

Elevated energy and gasoline costs pushed inflation higher in May, while existing home sales reached their fastest pace of the year. Three themes stand out from the latest data: rising energy costs driving broader inflation, home sales posting their strongest showing of 2026, and jobless claims drawing renewed attention.

The MBS Highway National Housing Index fell 9 points in June 2026, dropping from 47 in May to 38. Buyer activity declined sharply from the previous month, while price direction reversed its slow but steady climb.

Labor market data paints a resilient picture, while home price forecasts highlight the long-term opportunity in homeownership. May's jobs report surprised to the upside, ADP figures signaled broader hiring gains, and additional labor data supported that outlook. On the housing side, long-term home price forecasts put the value of homeownership on full display, giving buyers and clients a compellin...

April brought a mixed economic picture: inflation ticked higher and remained above the Fed's target, new home sales came in below expectations, and GDP and unemployment data added further texture to an uncertain macro backdrop. Against that softness, long-term home price appreciation forecasts continue to reinforce the wealth-building potential of homeownership.

In this session, we break down how the Loan Comparison tool turns complicated loan scenarios into clear, side by side conversations your borrowers actually understand. You'll see how to explain options with confidence, build trust from the first meeting, and close more deals as a result.

In this episode of On the Highway, Scott Brixen breaks down the latest Case-Shiller National Home Price Index data for March 2026. Listen as he walks through which cities are feeling the most pressure, where prices are still holding up, and why the Case-Shiller methodology makes this data worth paying attention to in the first place.

April saw a slowdown in single-family housing construction even as signed contracts for existing homes rose for a third straight month and beat expectations, while the Federal Reserve's April meeting minutes highlighted disagreement among policymakers over the path forward, with key takeaways including cooling single-family construction, a slight uptick in builder sentiment, continued climbing in...

On this episode of On The Highway, Bridgette Hardonk talks with Mary Vaca, a process-driven loan officer who left corporate tech at 40 and has hit President's Club every year since 2020, including a $16M quarter in a market no one's calling easy. Mary shares the playbooks behind the numbers: how she preps clients for rate dips months out, why she walked away from chasing social media stardom, the...

Inflation accelerated in April at both the consumer and wholesale levels, complicating the outlook for interest rate cuts, while existing home sales posted a m…Inflation accelerated in April at both the consumer and wholesale levels, complicating the outlook for interest rate cuts, while existing home sales posted a modest increase. The latest data also offers a snapshot of trends in consumer spen...

The MBS Highway National Housing Index rose 5 points in May 2026, climbing from 42 in April to 47. Buyer activity rebounded sharply from last month’s rate-driven pullback, hitting exactly 50 — the expansion threshold — while price direction continued its slow but steady climb.

Labor market data sent mixed signals this week, with a strong headline jobs number masking softer details underneath and ADP data revealing a split market. But housing told a different story, with new home sales beating expectations and forecasts pointing to real opportunity for buyers.

Scott Brixen breaks down the April 2026 housing inventory numbers from Realtor.com. Active listings crossed a major milestone nationally this spring, but is that the rebound buyers have been waiting for or just seasonal noise? Scott weighs April against last year and pre-pandemic norms, then gets to the real story of where that inventory actually lives.

In this episode, Scott Brixen breaks down the latest Case-Shiller Home Price Index for February 2026, and the headline number might surprise you. Tune in to find out which cities are heating up, which are cooling down, and what it all means for conversations with your clients.

The Fed held rates steady amid ongoing policy debate, while inflation edged higher driven by rising oil prices. National home values climbed for a seventh consecutive month, underscoring the continued benefits of homeownership. On the construction side, housing starts came in above expectations, though permits pulled back, offering a mixed picture for new supply. Looking ahead, GDP and unemploymen...

Pending home sales showed a modest lift in March, offering a small sign of movement as the market looks for direction, while retail sales came in stronger than expected, helped in part by rising gas prices. At the same time, jobless claims continue to reflect an evolving labor landscape, with underlying shifts in how and where people work still playing out.

In this exclusive webinar, learn from top producers who have refined their messaging and built point-of-sale conversations that are converting in 2026.

The housing market showed a shift in April after several months of building momentum. The MBS Highway Housing Index pulled back, driven largely by a noticeable drop in buyer activity as mortgage rates moved higher. While pricing hasn’t cracked in a meaningful way, demand clearly softened, signaling that the spring surge may not be as strong or as durable as expected. The bigger story here is how s...

March inflation came in hotter than expected, driven primarily by a surge in energy prices, which pushed headline readings higher and reinforced the volatility we continue to see in key components. At the same time, updated home price forecasts are reinforcing a longer-term theme that often gets overlooked in short-term data swings: homeownership remains a powerful wealth-building tool, especially...

Case-Shiller data for January shows a slowdown in annual home price growth, but a closer look reveals a more encouraging trend beneath the surface. While year-over-year gains hit their slowest pace since mid-2023, recent monthly data points to stronger momentum that could continue, especially with shifts in mortgage rates. The question now is whether that momentum can hold as broader economic fact...

A stronger-than-expected jobs report contrasted with other signs of a cooling labor market, creating a mixed picture overall. While the headline jobs data came in strong, underlying details raised questions, and ADP employment figures added to the uncertainty with mixed signals. Additional labor market reports pointed to softer trends, suggesting some cooling beneath the surface. At the same time,...