Welcome to the Market Advantage! Hosts Olivia DeLancey, Brennan O’Connell, and Mike Vough break down October’s mortgage market data, highlighting production trends, rate environment shifts, and secondary market insights.

Special Announcement:

Market Advantage is merging with Optimal Insights! This move will allow us to deliver timely mortgage data and analysis to the public even faster. Stay tuned for future episodes under the Optimal Insights banner.

Key Takeaways:

• October’s market activity shifted compared to previous months, reflecting both seasonal patterns and broader market momentum.
• Purchase and refinance activity showed typical seasonal changes, but with some notable differences in how each segment performed.
• Mortgage rates moved in a favorable direction, influenced by both macroeconomic factors and market-specific dynamics.
• The gap between mortgage rates and Treasury yields narrowed, signaling changes in investor sentiment and pricing power.
• Lenders adjusted their strategies for loan sales, prioritizing certain execution channels and responding to changing market incentives.
• Servicing approaches shifted, with valuations rising and lenders reconsidering the balance between immediate returns and long-term relationships.

Links and Resources:

• Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report
• Follow the Optimal Insights podcast
• Subscribe to Optimal Blue’s YouTube channel
• Follow Optimal Blue on LinkedIn

Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.

Mentioned in this episode:

Capture for Originators

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Optimal Blue Summit 2026 | February 23-25 | Scottsdale, Arizona

In case you missed it – Optimal Blue has announced the dates for its 2026 Summit! Join us February 23 – 25 at Talking Stick Resort and Conference Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a client-exclusive event packed with strategic insight and innovation. Attendees will gain early access to Optimal Blue’s latest generative AI and automation tools, dive into expert-led sessions on pricing, compliance and more, and experience hands-on demos of new capabilities. Plus, it’s a chance to connect with capital markets pros, integration partners, and mortgage insiders—all while gaining actionable strategies to maximize profitability and sharpen your competitive edge. The Optimal Blue Summit: where proven mortgage expertise meets modern innovation to shape what's next. Early bird registration is now open at Summit.OptimalBlue.com – space is limited, so register today! News release: https://www2.optimalblue.com/optimal-blue-to-host-its-2026-summit-february-23-25-in-scottsdale Registration: Summit.OptimalBlue.com

Welcome to this month’s episode of the Market Advantage. Hosts Olivia DeLancey, Brennan O'Connell, and Mike Vough kick off the show with a review of September’s mortgage data, highlighting a strong rate rally and notable trends in purchase and refinance activity.

The team then welcomes Andria Lightfoot, VP of client success at FirstClose, for a timely discussion on home equity lending. Andria shares insights on technology integration, evolving borrower needs, and how lenders can streamline processes to maximize efficiency and results.

Key Takeaways:

• September saw a strong rate rally, boosting both purchase and refinance activity.
• First-time homebuyer and affordability metrics improved, bringing more buyers into the market.
• Home equity lending is evolving, with technology driving faster, more efficient closings and expanding opportunities for borrowers and lenders.
• Lenders can maximize results by focusing on process sequencing, technology integration, and value-driven partnerships – doing more loans with less overhead.

Links and Resources:

• Follow Andria Lightfoot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrialightfoot/
• Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report: https://www2.optimalblue.com/market-advantage/
• Follow Optimal Blue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimal-blue/
• Subscribe to Optimal Blue’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Optimal-Blue
• Follow Mike Vough on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-vough-60467826/
• Follow Brennan O'Connell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-oconnell/
• Follow Olivia DeLancey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-delancey/

Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.

To celebrate one year, we compiled the responses from our 12 special guests on year one of the podcast:

“What’s the one thing lenders should do to maximize profitability?”

Hear actionable insights from industry leaders – including Optimal Blue’s executive team, top economists, tech innovators, and mortgage strategists. From leveraging AI and data to mastering client relationships and optimizing pricing, this episode is packed with actionable advice for mortgage professionals looking to maximize profitability.

Featured Guests:

• Julian Hebron (Founder, The Basis Point)
• Rob Kessel (Founder, Panoramic Capital Advisory and Consulting)
• Erin Wester (Chief Product Officer, Optimal Blue)
• Sarah Wheeler (Editor in Chief, HousingWire)
• Shant Banosian (President, Rate)
• Selma Hepp (Chief Economist, CoreLogic)
• Agha Mirza (Managing Director and Global Head of Rates & OTC, CME Group)
• Mike Vough (Head of Corporate Strategy, Optimal Blue)
• Dave Savage (Founder, Mortgage Coach)
• Seever Sulaiman (CTO, Optimal Blue)
• Joel Kan (VP, Deputy Chief Economist, Mortgage Bankers Association)
• Joe Tyrrell (CEO, Optimal Blue)

Links and Resources:

• Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report: https://www2.optimalblue.com/market-advantage/
• Follow Optimal Blue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimal-blue/
• Subscribe to Optimal Blue’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Optimal-Blue

Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.

Mentioned in this episode:

Optimal Blue Summit 2026 | February 23-25 | Scottsdale, Arizona

In case you missed it – Optimal Blue has announced the dates for its 2026 Summit! Join us February 23 – 25 at Talking Stick Resort and Conference Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a client-exclusive event packed with strategic insight and innovation. Attendees will gain early access to Optimal Blue’s latest generative AI and automation tools, dive into expert-led sessions on pricing, compliance and more, and experience hands-on demos of new capabilities. Plus, it’s a chance to connect with capital markets pros, integration partners, and mortgage insiders—all while gaining actionable strategies to maximize profitability and sharpen your competitive edge. The Optimal Blue Summit: where proven mortgage expertise meets modern innovation to shape what's next. Early bird registration is now open at Summit.OptimalBlue.com – space is limited, so register today! News release: https://www2.optimalblue.com/optimal-blue-to-host-its-2026-summit-february-23-25-in-scottsdale Registration: Summit.OptimalBlue.com

Summit - MA

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