Reverse Mortgage News & Insights from HECMWorld

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200

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Get the latest news, commentary and insights for the US reverse mortgage and property finance industries. Founded by Shannon Hicks and now hosted by Gabrielle Hayen, HECM World Weekly is the nation’s longest-running weekly podcast, trusted by reverse mortgage professionals for news, insights and trends on the reverse and wider mortgage industry, property equity, wealth and retirement and much more. Brought to you by Lenderful Solutions. Each week we also bring you Industry Leader Insights, where top industry influencers share what's happening at the cutting edge of the mortgage industry, and Food For Thought, our segment focused on professional and personal development for mortgage professionals. This podcast is brought to you by HECM World , the leading independent media platform for the reverse mortgage industry in the United States. Find out more and join our community of 6000+ industry leaders at https://hecmworld.com For business inquiries, contact info@hecmworld.com HECM World is owned and operated by Reverse Focus, a technology and marketing company that has supporting the reverse mortgage industry with full service digital marketing solutions since 2006. Find out more at https://reversefocus.com

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August 21, 2026Episode 95815 min

HECM World Weekly, EP 945: Equity-Rich Homes Fall as Housing Stays Stuck and Remodeling Holds Strong

This week on HECM World Weekly, the housing market is sending mixed signals, and the implications for reverse mortgage professionals are significant. U.S. housing starts have fallen sharply, builder confidence remains weak and even cash buyers are pulling back. Yet homeowners continue investing heavily in the homes they already own, with remodeling activity supported by accumulated home equity, an aging housing stock and growing aging-in-place needs. At the same time, ATTOM’s latest Home Equity & Underwater Report shows the share of mortgaged properties considered equity-rich has fallen to 41.1% — down from 47.4% a year ago and now at its lowest level in nearly five years. We also look at why mortgage rates may remain elevated, fresh regulatory scrutiny around home equity investments, growing concern over Social Security, retirees’ reluctance to spend down savings, and the rising cost of long-term care. For reverse mortgage professionals, these trends increasingly converge around one question: How should housing wealth fit into a more complex retirement picture? In this episode: Housing starts fall 12.4% month-over-month Builder incentives remain widespread Remodeling spending stays resilient Equity-rich homes fall to 41.1% Cash buyers retreat Mortgage rates remain under pressure California regulators warn on HEI risks 80% say Social Security needs reform Many retirees deliberately underspend Long-term care costs continue to climb Read the full HECM World Weekly article: https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/21/hecm-world-weekly-equity-rich-homes-fall-as-housing/ Subscribe for reverse mortgage news, insights and education: HECMWorld.com

August 19, 2026Episode 95512 min

Food For Thought: Stop taking orders. Start giving advice.

In this edition of Food For Thought, Christina Harmes, CRMP — reverse mortgage educator and Reverse Mortgage Division Director at Barrett Financial Group — challenges reverse mortgage professionals to rethink the way they approach prospective borrowers. Too often, the process becomes transactional: collect the home value, mortgage balance and dates of birth, run the numbers and send the PDF. Christina argues that this is exactly how professionals risk commoditizing themselves — especially in an age where calculators, software and AI can increasingly generate and compare the numbers. The real value lies in understanding the person behind them. In this episode, Christina explores: Why better discovery can lead to better reverse mortgage recommendations How two homeowners with identical numbers can need completely different loan structures Why sending jargon-heavy proposals without context creates a poor client experience The danger of giving borrowers exactly what they ask for without understanding why Why advisers sometimes need to recommend a different structure — or even say a reverse mortgage is not the right fit How deeper advice can improve client relationships, conversion and the reputation of the reverse mortgage industry Why human judgment and understanding may become even more valuable as AI advances As Christina puts it: if all you do is send numbers, you risk reducing yourself to a PDF. Read the full article here: https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/19/food-for-thought-reverse-mortgage-professionals-advice/ Subscribe and get more insights at hecmworld.com

August 17, 2026Episode 95215 min

Industry Leader Insights: Why 97% of Entrepreneurs Are Betting on Partnerships

New EY research reveals that 97% of established U.S. entrepreneurs pursued strategic partnerships during 2025 or 2026, while growth remained their number-one priority. So what can reverse mortgage professionals learn from them? In this Industry Leader Insights, HECM World publisher and Reverse Focus President Andrew Montesi explores how successful entrepreneurs are pursuing growth without bloat — using partnerships, AI, better data and greater leverage rather than simply adding more leads, technology, people and cost. Andrew looks at: Why strategic partnerships have become a core growth strategy What the 97% finding means for reverse mortgage loan officers Why genuine partnerships go far beyond asking for referrals How trust can create measurable commercial value Why entrepreneurs are becoming more selective about AI and technology The data and visibility problem holding partnership networks back How reverse mortgage professionals can create more value from the relationships and opportunities they already have For an industry built around education, trust and professional relationships, the lesson is clear: scale doesn’t always come from owning or adding more. Sometimes it comes from connecting what you already have much more effectively. Read the EY research: https://www.ey.com/en_us/entrepreneurship/ey-entrepreneur-insights-survey Visit HECM World for more reverse mortgage news, insights and industry analysis. https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/17/industry-leader-insights-why-97-of-entrepreneurs-are-betting-on-partnerships-and-what-reverse-mortgage-professionals-can-learn/

August 14, 2026Episode 95413 min

HECM World Weekly, EP 944: Record Equity, The Great Stay, and Rising Retirement Costs

This week on HECM World Weekly, Gabrielle Hayen looks at a series of connected stories reshaping the retirement and home-equity landscape. U.S. mortgage-holder equity has reached a record $18 trillion, even as homeowners continue to move less and stay in their properties for longer. At the same time, home equity investment companies are expanding, policymakers are looking at the cost of aging in place, millions of older Americans are still working, and new retirement-income benchmarks raise an important question: how well does the income retirees actually have align with the lifestyle they expect to maintain? We also cover HUD’s revived $465 million HECM loan sale and what it means for the reverse mortgage market. In this episode: Why record housing wealth matters more in a stay-put economy What the latest home-sales data says about homeowner mobility How HEIs are scaling and competing for home-equity access Why reverse mortgage professionals may need to compete on education, not simplicity The growing cost of aging in place Why more seniors are working longer What different retirement-income tiers look like in practice The latest on HUD’s HECM loan sale The bigger theme: as more wealth sits inside homes that people increasingly want to keep, housing equity is becoming harder to separate from the broader retirement-planning conversation. Read the full HECM World Weekly article here: https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/14/hecm-world-weekly-record-equity-meets-the-great-stay-as-heis-scale-and-retirement-costs-rise/ Subscribe to HECM World for the latest reverse mortgage, housing, retirement and home-equity insights.

August 12, 2026Episode 9536 min

Food For Thought: HEI vs. Reverse Mortgage: Stop Competing on Simplicity

Home equity investment companies are winning attention with a simple pitch: no debt, no interest, no monthly payment. So how should reverse mortgage professionals respond? In this HECM World Food For Thought, LoanDepot reverse mortgage leader Lisa Moriello explains why loan officers should stop trying to out-simplify HEI marketing — and instead reframe the conversation around the homeowner’s long-term financial outcome. Lisa explores: Why HEIs are increasingly entering the conversation before a reverse mortgage does Why dismissing home equity investments outright can damage credibility The question loan officers should ask instead: what will you actually owe when you leave the home? Why “no interest” does not mean no cost How HEI settlement timelines can matter for homeowners planning to age in place The difference between sharing future home appreciation and paying interest Why HUD-approved counseling is an important distinction How to move clients from comparing marketing pitches to comparing actual outcomes As Lisa puts it: “We’re never going to out-market a venture-backed app with a slick onboarding flow … but we can out-explain them every single time.” For reverse mortgage professionals facing growing competition from HEIs, this is a practical framework for having a more credible, transparent and effective client conversation. Watch the full Food For Thought with Lisa Moriello and read the article here Visit hecmworld.com for more reverse mortgage news, insights and industry education.

August 10, 2026Episode 95010 min

Industry Leader Insights: Beyond ‘The Great Stay’: How Homeowners Are Changing The Way They Access Equity

Americans aren’t moving like they used to, and that could permanently change how they access home equity. In this edition of Industry Leader Insights, HECM World speaks with Brian Fox, co-founder at Benutech, about the rise of the “stay-put economy.” Benutech’s analysis shows traditional refinance activity falling almost 80% between 2021 and 2025, while equity lending increased 15%. So what happens when homeowners protect their low-rate first mortgage, remain in place longer and look for other ways to unlock housing wealth? Brian discusses why this shift may be structural, what it means for older homeowners, why downsizing no longer delivers the same financial relief—and how reverse mortgages could become an increasingly important “stay-put” financial tool. Watch the full interview now. Read the full article here and make sure you subscribe at hecmworld.com so you don’t miss a thing. View the Benutech report https://www.benutech.com/the-stay-put-economy-how-rising-rates-transformed-american-homes-from-stepping-stones-into-fortresses

August 7, 2026Episode 95119 min

HECM World Weekly, EP943: From Debt Relief To Healthy Years, Home Equity Takes On A Bigger Role

This week on HECM World Weekly, we look at how America’s housing wealth is holding firm—but the way homeowners are using it is changing. July’s HECM endorsement volume remained relatively subdued, while Finance of America reported strong year-over-year growth across its retirement solutions business. We also examine Rocket Mortgage’s new campaign positioning home equity as a potential alternative to high-interest credit-card debt. Plus, new Bankrate research raises questions about whether older refinancing borrowers are paying more than they should, home prices continue to rise across most metropolitan markets, and families inheriting homes report growing difficulties retaining valuable low-rate mortgages. Finally, new retirement research reveals that many Americans are more worried about running out of healthy years than running out of money—and what that could mean for the role of housing wealth in retirement planning. In this episode: July’s latest HECM lender results Finance of America’s 21% funded-volume growth Rocket’s push to bring home equity into the mainstream Bankrate’s proposed refinance “seniority tax” The growing divide between local housing markets Mortgage complications within the Great Wealth Transfer Why retirees are rethinking the value of time, health and money For more reverse mortgage news, analysis, research and industry insights, visit HECMWorld.com and subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

August 5, 2026Episode 9483 min

Food For Thought: What really builds a successful mortgage career?

In this Food For Thought episode, Jesse Allen, President of 55 Plus Lending at Rate, shares the lessons he's learned after more than 30 years in banking, financial services and mortgage lending—and after helping hundreds of mortgage professionals build successful careers. Rather than focusing on compensation alone, Jesse explains why lasting success comes from choosing the right platform, the right culture and the right leadership. Built around his simple framework of Focus, Systems and Discipline, this conversation offers practical advice for loan officers, mortgage leaders and anyone evaluating their next career move. In this episode you'll discover: Why compensation alone shouldn't drive your career decisions • The importance of aligning your purpose with your company's mission • How great systems help professionals deliver a better client experience • Why discipline and continuous improvement create long-term success • The role leadership and culture play in building high-performing teams • What to look for when evaluating a mortgage company or platform Whether you're an experienced originator or just starting your mortgage career, these principles provide a valuable framework for building something that lasts. https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/05/food-for-thought-what-really-builds-a-successful-mortgage-career/ Subscribe to HECM World for more expert insights from the leaders shaping the future of reverse mortgages and home equity finance.

August 3, 2026Episode 94719 min

Industry Leader Insights: Senior Housing Equity Is At Record Highs. So Why Haven't Reverse Mortgages Taken Off?

In this Industry Leader Insights episode, HECM World sits down with John Lunde, Founder and President of Reverse Market Insight (RMI), to explore one of the biggest questions facing the industry today. Drawing on more than 20 years of reverse mortgage market data, John shares his perspective on the trends that have shaped the industry, why record senior housing equity hasn't translated into record reverse mortgage volume, and what lenders, loan officers and business leaders need to do differently to unlock the opportunity ahead. In this episode you'll discover: Why reverse mortgage originations remain well below their historic peak • The surprising disconnect between record housing equity and industry growth • How proprietary reverse mortgages are reshaping the market • The biggest mistakes professionals make when interpreting market data • Why education inside the mortgage industry remains the biggest growth opportunity • How technology, data and integrated systems will define the next generation of reverse mortgage businesses • What successful lenders do differently when building local market expertise Whether you're a reverse mortgage professional, lender, broker, executive or industry partner, this conversation provides valuable insights into where the market has been—and where it's heading next. https://hecmworld.com/2026/08/03/industry-leader-insights-senior-housing-equity-is-at-record-highs-so-why-havent-reverse-mortgages-taken-off/ Subscribe to HECM World for the latest reverse mortgage news, expert interviews and industry insights from across the United States.

July 31, 2026Episode 94914 min

HECM World Weekly, EP942: Fed Holds Rates As Inflation Pressure Builds, While Housing Equity Tells A More Complicated Story

The Federal Reserve has held interest rates steady, but growing inflation concerns could keep mortgage rates higher for longer — adding another layer of complexity for older homeowners and the reverse mortgage industry. In this week's HECM World Weekly, we look beyond the headlines to unpack what the latest economic, housing and retirement data really means for the industry. We cover: Why the Fed held rates despite growing pressure to act on inflation Home prices reaching another record — while actually falling in real terms Why stagnant homeownership and extremely low homeowner vacancy matter for aging in place The rapid growth of proprietary reverse mortgages — and why unit counts only tell part of the story Why HECM dollar volume presents a stronger picture than originations alone New research showing older Americans becoming more defensive about retirement Why liquidity, resilience and downside protection could become increasingly important to reverse mortgage conversations Older Americans continue to hold extraordinary levels of housing wealth. But with inflation, higher rates and retirement uncertainty changing the financial landscape, how that equity is used — and the products available to access it — is becoming increasingly important. For more reverse mortgage news, research and industry insights, visit HECM World. https://hecmworld.com/2026/07/31/hecm-world-weekly-fed-holds-rates-as-inflation-pressure-builds-while-housing-equity-tells-a-more-complicated-story