It feels like everything we’ve read (and everything I’ve written here) over the past ten months has included words and terms like “layoffs,” “downturn,” “purchase market,” “cycle,” and, of course, “interest rates.” So I’m taking the week off from that. If you do miss that conversation, just remember that I truly believe that, while things are tough now, they will get better, and there are still opportunities. 

I recently attended the MBA Annual Convention in Nashville. While an illness in the family forced me to cut my stay short, I was there long enough to get a sense of two different approaches to the cycle we’re in. I’ll talk more about that another time. But I also realized something else.

Deeper Thoughts is three years old as of November, 2022! 

A look back at Deeper Thoughts

If you’ve been with us all along, thank you! You may remember I kicked things off after that year’s MBA Annual (in Austin) with these words:

Hopefully, you’ve become a fan of LodeStar Reports, our weekly look at the mortgage and real estate industry. If you’re still with us, you’ll love what we’re about to do next. We’re going to be bulking up our weekly edition with more original content, more information you can use on a daily basis and, eventually, maybe even a chance to participate in the discussion and get in a word about your business, too.

150 postings later, I ask myself if we’ve achieved those goals. The readership has certainly grown—thank you again! We’ve also greatly expanded our content offerings with LLL, A Tale of Two Mortgages and other useful content such as our state by state comparison of LE challenges. And our metrics suggest that, if we’re not providing useful information, our content has at least most of you coming back regularly for more. 

Grateful for so many opportunities

I’m also grateful that we’ve been able to use these forums, in addition to the gracious opportunities afforded us by many of the great mortgage trade publications and podcasts to share our views, to stand up for things important to all of us at LodeStar. Things like DEI, innovation, a willingness to challenge an industry that’s still way too “stale, pale and male,” and, of course, the concepts of clarity, connectivity and community.

It’s still humbling and amazing to believe that, by becoming experts and providing clear access to something seemingly as simple (and believe me, they’re really not that simple) as accurate closing fees, we’ve been able to push for what’s important to us. And many of you have been receptive. I’m truly grateful.

A look back at the MBA Annual of 2019 leads to a look forward.

That first Deeper Thoughts three Novembers ago ended with a push for mentoring our younger colleagues. This is an industry that all too often eats its young, or at least, ignores them. That’s to our detriment. Have things improved? Sure. A bit. Could they get better? Always. 

That first Deeper Thoughts also came after an MBA Annual where the mood was uncertainty. The difference was that there was much more optimism, even if it was guarded. We’d come through a very brief purchase market, and were living the early days of what would eventually become the greatest extended refinance spike in recent memory. But the uncertainty was there—will this spike last? I even mentioned the possibility of a recession!

We’re an industry that hates risk and wants assurances. That’s kind of the basis of making loans at any level, of course. But we lived through that patch of uncertainty. We’ll make it through this. 

And I almost, just almost, made it through this piece without mentioning what we’ve been talking about!

Thanks again for your readership. I continue to welcome your feedback on topics, guests and opinions. And thank you to the LodeStar team for all you’ve done to help us grow through these unusual and dynamic three years!

We at LodeStar are grateful to all of our clients, friends and colleagues who take the time to view Deeper Thoughts. Please consider having a look as well at some of our other great content, including our podcast, “LodeStar’s Lending Leaders,” and “A Tale of Two Mortgages: an original webcomic for the mortgage industry, presented by LodeStar.”

As always, your feedback is welcomed and appreciated!