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Power House

Power House

Hosted by HousingWire

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Episodes

417

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire's Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 14, 202629 min

Clayton Collins: What leaders are still getting wrong about AI

The AI conversation in housing has changed. The question is no longer whether the technology works—it’s what leaders do with it now. Fresh off HousingWire’s AI Summit, Zeb Lowe sits down with HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins to unpack that shift. They discuss lenders using AI to drive down origination costs, builders transforming how they identify land, and executives now managing everything from token utilization to AI governance and implementation. But Collins argues the biggest change has to happen at the leadership level. AI can’t be another technology initiative delegated down the organization. It requires CEOs to rethink workflows, costs and talent—and determine where automation can create more room for the human work that actually drives the business. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Clayton Collins' LinkedIn HousingWire's AI Summit 2026 Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

August 13, 202627 min

Devin Norales: Can we create more homeowners without creating more risk?

How do you expand access to homeownership without taking on more risk? On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Devin Norales, Head of Mortgage and Capital Markets at FICO, to discuss the future of credit scoring and why represents one of the biggest shifts in mortgage lending in decades. Norales explains how trended credit data and rental payment history can provide a more complete picture of borrowers, improving predictive accuracy while responsibly expanding credit access, particularly for first-time homebuyers. The conversation also explores the rental reporting gap, financial literacy and why credit modernization isn't just about better models, but better outcomes for borrowers, lenders and the housing market. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Devin Norales' LinkedIn FICO® Score 10T Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

August 6, 202645 min

The architecture of happiness: Why some homes just feel right

On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with architect and researcher Ann Sussman to explore a provocative idea: many modern homes and neighborhoods are fundamentally out of sync with human biology. Drawing on neuroscience, architecture and urban design, Ann explains why our brains are wired for faces, detail, walkable environments, and how blank facades, oversized roads and car-centric development can quietly contribute to stress, isolation and disconnection. From Disneyland's Main Street to Amsterdam and Nantucket, the conversation explores why some places feel instantly welcoming while others never quite do. If you build, finance, design or sell housing, this episode may permanently change how you see the built environment. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Ann Sussman's LinkedIn theHAPI.org Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

August 4, 202620 min

The efficiency trap: Why faster doesn't always mean better

Does making something more efficient always make it cheaper? On this solo episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe explores the Jevons paradox—the idea that making something cheaper and easier to use often leads to more demand, not less. From fuel-efficient cars and air conditioning to artificial intelligence, history shows that efficiency doesn't necessarily reduce consumption—it expands it. Zeb applies that same framework to housing and mortgage, examining how AI, automation and digital lending may increase loan volume, accelerate transactions and reshape the industry in ways few people are discussing. The question isn't whether efficiency is good. It's what happens after it succeeds. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

July 30, 202638 min

Why clean data beats cool AI tools with Constellation HomeBuilder Systems

On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Paolo Benzan, VP of Data Strategy at Constellation HomeBuilder Systems and Rich Swier, founder of raia AI, to discuss why the future of home building won't be determined by who adopts AI first, but by who builds the strongest data foundation. The conversation explores the hidden work behind successful AI initiatives, from data quality and governance to cost control and security. Benzan and Swier explain why clean, connected data is the real competitive advantage and how builders can use AI to move beyond static reports and make faster, smarter decisions. Their message is clear: AI isn't replacing expertise — it amplifies organizations that have done the hard work to prepare for it. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Paolo Benzan's LinkedIn Rich Swier's LinkedIn Constellation HomeBuilder Systems raia AI Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

July 23, 202633 min

Otis Odell on the human side of housing

What if the future of housing isn't just about building more homes, but building better ones? Crazy idea, right? On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Otis Odell, National Housing Sector Leader at HED, to discuss how thoughtful design shapes well-being, community and the way people experience home. Drawing on a career that spans carpentry, custom homebuilding and national housing design, Odell explains why details like natural light, outdoor space and flexible layouts can have an outsized impact on quality of life. The conversation also explores modular construction, affordability and why solving today's housing challenges will require rethinking not just how many homes we build, but how we design and deliver them. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Otis Odell HED Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

July 16, 202633 min

Chaos is not a strategy: Larry Bailey on workflow governance

On this episode of Power House, Zeb sits down with Larry Bailey from Mortgage Workflow Partners, who began his career as a loan processor in 1993 and now champions a simple but disruptive idea: “workflow before technology.”  Bailey argues that most mortgage and real estate organizations have invested heavily in software and AI without first understanding how work actually gets done. Rather than improving efficiency, new technology is often layered onto disorganized processes because workflows were never clearly documented or owned. The conversation digs into how sales-led leadership shapes this reality. In lending, top leaders rise through sales, where adaptability is rewarded, but workflow is often overlooked. As a result, that critical knowledge resides with individuals rather than in documented processes. Bailey explains that workflow interviews quickly reveal the difference between employees eager to improve operations and those who rely on tribal knowledge to protect their value. Bailey defines workflow governance as documenting processes, assigning clear business ownership and continuously maintaining them as the organization evolves. He shares examples of large lenders where every branch operated differently, creating inefficiencies and making leadership nearly impossible. His approach establishes a standardized best-practice workflow while allowing teams flexibility beyond the core process if they choose. Looking ahead, Bailey believes technology alone will not reduce production costs or burnout. Despite years of investment, the cost per loan remains stubbornly high because organizations continue automating broken processes. Sustainable improvement comes from understanding the work first, then using that visibility to determine where technology belongs, what should be automated and how employees can focus on higher-value activities instead of repetitive tasks. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Larry Bailey's LinkedIn Mortgage Workflow Partners Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

July 9, 202626 min

AI won’t replace LOs, but it will redefine them

On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Baron Silverstein, President of Newrez, to discuss how one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies is reinventing itself for the AI era. Silverstein shares how Newrez is using artificial intelligence to improve underwriting, servicing and the overall homeowner experience—while keeping human expertise at the center of every decision. The conversation also explores technology adoption, AI governance, crypto in mortgage lending and why the companies that learn to use AI effectively—not just adopt it—will define the next generation of housing. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Baron Silverstein's LinkedIn Newrez Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

July 2, 202621 min

The unlikely solution to help solve the housing crisis

What if solving America’s housing shortage means moving beyond the way homes have traditionally been built? In Part 2 of their conversation, Zeb Lowe and Brian Hurd explore the housing models, construction methods and financing approaches that could reshape the next generation of homeownership. Brian explains why manufactured and modular housing deserve a more serious look, how factory-built homes have changed far beyond their outdated reputation, and why better financing options could bring attainable homeownership within reach for millions more Americans. The discussion covers land-lease communities, modular construction, off-site manufacturing and the role technology can play in reducing construction timelines and expanding housing supply. Brian also shares practical guidance for loan officers who want to earn lasting builder relationships, making the case that curiosity, consistency and partnership matter more than any sales pitch. The episode closes with Brian’s view of what the next decade could hold for American housing — and why meaningful progress will depend on builders, lenders, Realtors, local governments and communities working toward the same goal. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Brian Hurd’s LinkedIn Cardinal Financial Company, Limited Partnership Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

June 30, 202625 min

Brian Hurd: Why the housing crisis is bigger than interest rates

The housing affordability crisis is not just an interest-rate problem. It is the result of decades of choices that have made it harder, slower and more expensive to build the homes America needs. In Part 1 of this conversation, Zeb Lowe sits down with Brian Hurd, senior vice president of national builder strategy at Cardinal Financial, to examine the forces reshaping American housing. Brian shares how his path from construction sites to mortgage leadership gave him a ground-level understanding of the builder business — and why that perspective still shapes the way he works with lenders, developers and housing professionals today. The conversation moves beyond rates and loan products to the structural pressures facing the market: rising material costs, labor shortages, zoning constraints, shrinking affordability and the widening gap between what buyers can afford and what builders can profitably deliver. Brian also explains the critical distinction between affordable housing and attainable housing. Solving the missing-middle problem, he argues, will require more than new programs or lower rates. It will require builders, lenders and policymakers to reconsider how homes are designed, financed and brought to market. For anyone in mortgage, real estate, construction or housing policy, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at why homeownership has become harder to reach — and what needs to change. Related to the episode: ⁠Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn⁠ Brian Hurd's LinkedIn Cardinal Financial Company, Limited Partnership Want more from Zeb? Don’t forget to subscribe to LendingLife. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.

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