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Robbie Chrisman
Jan 21
Economic Challenges Across Income Groups and the Impact on Consumer Spending
In recent years, workers in lower-paid industries have faced significantly tougher economic conditions than their higher-income...
Rob Chrisman
Jan 21
California, Insurance, the Fair Plan, and Money
I would be surprised if those homes in Southern California that have burned have paid enough premiums to insurance companies to cover...
Robbie Chrisman
Jan 6
Mortgage Company Strategy 2025: Preparing For the Year Ahead
As we embark on a new year, it’s essential for decision makers at mortgage companies to focus on setting clear goals and aligning...
Rob Chrisman
Jan 6
The Agencies Have Been Recapitalized Somewhat… Now What?
No one expects conventional conforming rates to drop if & when they leave conservatorship which they’ve been in for over 16 years. The...
Rob Chrisman
Dec 31, 2024
Lock Extensions: How/Why They Cost Money
When a borrower locks a rate with a lender, the lender promises to hold that rate for the borrower until the loan closes. But there is a...
Rob Chrisman
Dec 30, 2024
Treasury Auctions: Who Cares? You Should. A Primer
There are many different ways to sell things: a lemonade stand, a flea market, through Target, or at an auction, to name but a few....
Marcus Lam
Dec 30, 2024
Mind the Gap and FX Risk
My wife and I took the kids to London for their winter break. As the English would say, the trip was “just lovely,” filled with trips to...
Rob Chrisman
Dec 27, 2024
Tariffs: A Primer
There is obviously no tariff on lenders (lord knows we have enough financial hurdles), but tariffs do impact the supply and demand of...
Rob Chrisman
Dec 26, 2024
The ABC's of Mortgage Securities: A Primer
What’s the difference between government bonds and men? Bonds mature. Don’t worry… I won’t make your eyes glaze over. The question always...
Michael Metz
Dec 20, 2024
The Week Before Christmas: Mortgage Edition
'Twas the week before Christmas when all through the States, The market was slower, buyers wary of rates. Santa Powell made an...
Robbie Chrisman
Dec 19, 2024
The Improbability of GSEs Exiting Conservatorship: A Structural and Political Analysis
The prospect of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs) being released from U.S. government conservatorship and restored to their former...
Dan Libby
Dec 10, 2024
In Volatile Times of Transition, the MSR Market Seeks to Both Safeguard Shareholder Value and Unlock its Potential
Hedging in the MSR Market: A Deep Dive into Strategies, Risks, and Emerging Best Practices The current landscape of the mortgage...
Robbie Chrisman
Nov 21, 2024
Impacts of Trade, Policy, and Inflation on Mortgage Rates and the Housing Industry
The economic aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have shaped both domestic and global markets over recent years, are gradually...
Rob Chrisman
Nov 20, 2024
The President of the United States Doesn’t Set Rates
But policies impact them. Although the general population may not grasp that fact, those in our industry know better, or should. While...
Robbie Chrisman
Nov 15, 2024
MBS Settlements and Dollar Rolls
In the world of MBS, Class A and Class B dollar rolls happened this week. Class A, B, and C MBS (mortgage-backed securities) refer to the...
Rob Chrisman
Nov 12, 2024
The Election is Over, the Die Has Been Cast
Neither candidate for president discussed the dire deficits facing the United States, nor did either talk about a reduction in spending....
Robbie Chrisman
Sep 23, 2024
Why Mortgage Rates Didn’t Fall After the Fed’s Rate Cut
Why didn't we see mortgage rates fall after the Fed cut rates last week? Simply put, preemptive pricing left little room for movement in...
Marcus Lam
Aug 7, 2024
Margin Leakage in a Market Rally
As I write my first (and hopefully not my last) column for Rob and Robbie, the CME Group’s FedWatch is giving a 57.5% chance of a 50-bps...
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