Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Do ARMs Have Legs in This Market? | Market Insights | June 30, 2025
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Do ARMs Have Legs in This Market? | Market Insights | June 30, 2025
In this episode of Optimal Insights, the team explores the current state of the mortgage market during a short holiday week, discussing economic indicators, consumer sentiment, and the Fed’s stance on rate cuts. The second half of the episode is a deep dive into adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) – what they are, how they work, and their potential resurgence in today’s high-rate environment. The discussion includes historical comparisons, affordability scenarios, and international mortgage structures, ultimately addressing whether ARMs have a place in the current market.
Key Topics Covered:
- Market update: consumer confidence, inflation, unemployment, and Fed policy
- ARM fundamentals: structure, indexing, caps, and borrower scenarios
- Historical and international comparisons of mortgage structures
- Strategic use of ARMs in today’s economic climate
Notable Insights:
- ARMs may offer affordability advantages in a high-rate environment, especially for short-term homeowners.
- The U.S. mortgage system is uniquely borrower-friendly compared to other developed nations.
- A steepening yield curve could make ARMs more attractive if short-term rates fall while long-term rates remain high.
Tune in to gain valuable insights to help you stay ahead and maximize your profitability in the ever-evolving mortgage landscape.
Optimal Insights Team:
- Jim Glennon, Vice President of Hedging and Trading Client Services, Optimal Blue
- Jeff McCarty, VP of Hedging & Trading Product, Optimal Blue
- Alex Hebner, Hedge Account Manager, Optimal Blue
- Kevin Foley, Director of Product Management, Optimal Blue
Production Team:
- Executive Producer: Sara Holtz
- Producers: Matt Gilhooly & Hailey Boyer
Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.
--
Keywords: Real-time data insights, Capital markets commentary, Mortgage industry, Profitability, Lenders, Investors, Rate fluctuations, Mortgage landscape, Expert advice, Optimal Blue, Secondary marketing automation, Pricing accuracy, Margin protection, Risk management, Originators, Originations
Mentioned in this episode:
Capture for Originators
Reengage Past Clients Without the Spreadsheet Headache
Tired of manually hunting for refinance opportunities? Capture for Originators does the heavy lifting for you. It automatically scans your closed loan portfolio and flags recapture opportunities – no spreadsheets, no manual work. Just actionable recapture opportunities delivered straight to you.
Learn more: https://www2.optimalblue.com/optimal-blue-launches-new-lead-generation-tool-for-originators or reach out to your Optimal Blue Client service representative for more information.
Market Advantage Report – Newly Expanded With New Origination and Secondary Markets Data Points
Smarter Lending Starts with Smarter Data
The newly enhanced Market Advantage report from Optimal Blue delivers unmatched insights across both origination and secondary markets, including property type, debt-to-income ratio, first-time homebuyer status, servicing rights, market rate indices, and investor count at loan sale.
📊 Get the data from the engine that powers your profitability. https://engage.optimalblue.com/market-advantage
View all episodes
By Optimal BlueIn this episode of Optimal Insights, the team explores the current state of the mortgage market during a short holiday week, discussing economic indicators, consumer sentiment, and the Fed’s stance on rate cuts. The second half of the episode is a deep dive into adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) – what they are, how they work, and their potential resurgence in today’s high-rate environment. The discussion includes historical comparisons, affordability scenarios, and international mortgage structures, ultimately addressing whether ARMs have a place in the current market.
Key Topics Covered:
- Market update: consumer confidence, inflation, unemployment, and Fed policy
- ARM fundamentals: structure, indexing, caps, and borrower scenarios
- Historical and international comparisons of mortgage structures
- Strategic use of ARMs in today’s economic climate
Notable Insights:
- ARMs may offer affordability advantages in a high-rate environment, especially for short-term homeowners.
- The U.S. mortgage system is uniquely borrower-friendly compared to other developed nations.
- A steepening yield curve could make ARMs more attractive if short-term rates fall while long-term rates remain high.
Tune in to gain valuable insights to help you stay ahead and maximize your profitability in the ever-evolving mortgage landscape.
Optimal Insights Team:
- Jim Glennon, Vice President of Hedging and Trading Client Services, Optimal Blue
- Jeff McCarty, VP of Hedging & Trading Product, Optimal Blue
- Alex Hebner, Hedge Account Manager, Optimal Blue
- Kevin Foley, Director of Product Management, Optimal Blue
Production Team:
- Executive Producer: Sara Holtz
- Producers: Matt Gilhooly & Hailey Boyer
Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.
--
Keywords: Real-time data insights, Capital markets commentary, Mortgage industry, Profitability, Lenders, Investors, Rate fluctuations, Mortgage landscape, Expert advice, Optimal Blue, Secondary marketing automation, Pricing accuracy, Margin protection, Risk management, Originators, Originations
Mentioned in this episode:
Capture for Originators
Reengage Past Clients Without the Spreadsheet Headache
Tired of manually hunting for refinance opportunities? Capture for Originators does the heavy lifting for you. It automatically scans your closed loan portfolio and flags recapture opportunities – no spreadsheets, no manual work. Just actionable recapture opportunities delivered straight to you.
Learn more: https://www2.optimalblue.com/optimal-blue-launches-new-lead-generation-tool-for-originators or reach out to your Optimal Blue Client service representative for more information.
Market Advantage Report – Newly Expanded With New Origination and Secondary Markets Data Points
Smarter Lending Starts with Smarter Data
The newly enhanced Market Advantage report from Optimal Blue delivers unmatched insights across both origination and secondary markets, including property type, debt-to-income ratio, first-time homebuyer status, servicing rights, market rate indices, and investor count at loan sale.
📊 Get the data from the engine that powers your profitability. https://engage.optimalblue.com/market-advantage