Lykken on Lending

This podcast segment captures growing industry frustration as lenders and experts question the execution, costs, and real impact of FHFA’s credit scoring rollout despite years of development.

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Alice Alvey, Master CMB

Vice President Partner Education and Training at Union Home Mortgage

She handles development of their World Class Training program designed to support UHM partners and organizational effectiveness.

Prior to UHM, Alice served as Senior Vice President at Indecomm leading the Indecomm-Mortgage U division, Internal QA and Compliance and SaaS technologies. Indecomm acquired Mortgage U in 2013, where Alice was President/Co-founder, providing training and consulting since 1996. Prior to MU she served as SVP of Operations at a national bank overseeing operations for wholesale, retail and correspondent from underwriting through servicing, and compliance.

She has been in the trenches of mortgage lending operations from application through servicing for over 30 years. Her authoring work in training content, policies and procedures and the FHA/VA Practical guides illustrates her ability to bridge regulatory requirements with day-to-day operations.

Alice has been a weekly contributor to the Lykken on Lending show since its beginning in April 2009 and has made her weekly contributions to 450+ episodes!

The mortgage industry is evolving alongside a major demographic shift: Americans are living longer than ever before, and that reality is transforming the way borrowers approach retirement, home equity, and homeownership. In today's Hot Topic, David Lykken sits down with mortgage veteran Michael Banner to discuss the rise of the “longevity economy” and why mortgage professionals must move beyond simply quoting rates to becoming long-term financial guides for their clients. From debunking myths surrounding reverse mortgages to uncovering a unique down payment assistance program with no income limits, Banner shares how today’s loan officers can help borrowers navigate rising home prices, retirement challenges, and multi-decade financial planning. This conversation delivers timely insights for mortgage professionals looking to stay relevant in a rapidly changing housing market.

This podcast segment explains how Iran peace-talk headlines, falling oil prices, and shifting inflation expectations triggered a sharp drop in bond yields and mortgage rates, while keeping markets highly sensitive to geopolitical developments and upcoming CPI data.

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Matt began as an originator in 2002. He fell in love with the idea of following MBS in real-time but felt that existing products were only scratching the surface. Thus was born MBS Live in 2007, the first-of-its-kind platform with real-time market data/analysis, and live chat with analysts, traders, and originators around the country. He is currently the Founder and CEO of MBSLive!

He's been covering bond/mortgage markets, writing commentary, alerts, and chatting with the live community every business hour of every business day ever since.

Matt also serves as the Chief of Operations for mortgagenewsdaily.com, where he is one of the industry's most respected mortgage rate experts, frequently quoted in the media. Mortgage News Daily's rate index is used as the definitive resource on day-to-day mortgage rate averages.

He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and son, where he enjoys skiing, fishing, coaching youth sports, playing the guitar, and more DIY projects/hobbies than he'd care to admit.

05-12-2026 "War of Change" or Peace

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It's a truth that in every war

Worlds collide, and deals get brokered.

Oil producers shut in wells when they run out of storage, and analysts say Iran will hit its limit in May. So, expect Iran to strike a peace deal. Consequently, assume oil stays below $100, then drifts below $80 by late May.

Meanwhile, look for fireworks in Ukraine to end in July, pushing prices under $70. Cheaper energy supports solid U.S. growth and mild inflation, pulling long‑term rates lower.

I feel it in my veins. These wars are going away.

Everything's about to change.

These views are mine. Join TMSpotlight to see how war news changes mortgage rates.

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Song: War of Change (2012) Thousand Foot Krutch

This podcast segment highlights the MBA’s urgent call for mortgage professionals to engage lawmakers and push for critical fixes to housing legislation that could significantly impact FHA lending, affordability, and the future of the mortgage industry.

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Adam DeSanctis, VP of Communications at Mortgage Bankers Association

As a strategic public affairs and communications executive with nearly two decades of experience, Adam has deep expertise in strategy, management, and media relations. He is widely considered to be an expert in a variety of communications, including advocacy, brand, executive, crisis, grassroots, and social media. In his career, he has been the MBA spokesperson on a wide variety of real estate research and advocacy-related issues, promoted MBA research and advocacy efforts to financial, political, and trade industry media and on MBA's social media channels, and secured media opportunities for MBA leadership on key real estate trends and issues, generated media coverage for MBA's research and data on mortgage applications, credit availability, homebuilder applications, mortgage forbearance/delinquencies, commercial real estate originations, and forecasts, and other industry analysis, developed key strategic initiatives for MBA's organizational public affairs plan, media relations and member communications support for mPower, MBA's Opens Doors Foundation and MBA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program.

The financial services industry is entering a transformation unlike anything seen since the rise of the internet. In this episode of Lykken on Lending, David Lykken sits down with AI innovator Pavan Agarwal to discuss the emergence of “self-driving mortgages” — fully autonomous lending systems powered by advanced transactional AI. From AI-driven underwriting and servicing to blockchain-enabled financial infrastructure, the conversation examines how autonomous technology is reducing friction, lowering costs, and expanding financial access at a global scale. Pavan shares the decades-long journey behind Angel AI, explains why reliability is the missing link in most modern AI systems, and outlines how autonomous finance could unlock trillions of dollars in economic opportunity. If you want to understand where mortgage banking, fintech, and AI are heading next, this episode provides a compelling look into the future of lending.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept for the mortgage industry—it’s becoming a competitive advantage in real time. In tomorrow’s LinkedIn Live, David Lykken sits down with Garrett Locklear, founder of Candid and one of the industry’s most innovative loan originators, for a fascinating conversation about how AI agents, workflow automation, and hyper-personalized marketing are transforming mortgage sales and operations. From replacing repetitive administrative tasks with AI-powered automation to creating market-specific newsletters and blogs that dramatically increase engagement, Garrett shares practical examples of how lenders can use AI thoughtfully to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deepen client relationships. The discussion also tackles one of the industry’s biggest challenges—data silos—and why solving that issue may determine which companies truly benefit from AI in the years ahead. If you want to understand where mortgage technology is heading and how to position yourself ahead of the curve, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

The Lykken on Lending Weekly Mortgage Update delivers expert commentary and timely insights from across the mortgage industry. Each episode features a curated lineup of respected thought leaders and analysts:

• Adam DeSanctis with the MBA Mortgage Minute, providing key updates from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
• Les Parker’s TMSpotlight offers a macroeconomic perspective with his signature musical parodies.
• Matt Graham of MBS Live, breaking down market activity and interest rate movements.
• David Kittle, CEO of The Mortgage Collaborative, sharing insights on mortgage originations and industry trends.
• Alice Alvey of Union Home Mortgage, delivering essential regulatory and legislative updates.
• Allen Pollack, with the Tech Report, spotlighting emerging technologies impacting mortgage operations.
• Bill Corbet, presenting Bill's Bullet Commentary with focused insights on loan servicing and capital markets.
• Marc Helm, offering Marc’s Rant, an unfiltered take on operational and agency-related developments.

Together, this expert panel brings clarity, relevance, and a touch of personality to the ever-evolving mortgage landscape.

The mortgage industry is navigating a delicate balancing act as rising rates, geopolitical instability, oil market volatility, and economic uncertainty continue to pressure financial markets. Yet despite growing concerns over inflation, Treasury yields, and the long-term impact of global conflict, many mortgage leaders remain surprisingly optimistic about production volume and pipeline strength. In this weekly commentary, industry experts discuss the market forces driving mortgage rates higher, the potential economic fallout from prolonged instability in the Middle East, and why many lenders still believe housing demand and borrower activity will remain resilient in the months ahead.

This podcast segment explores how AI is transforming productivity, decision-making, and personalized insights while raising important concerns about accuracy, overreliance, and the need for human fact-checking and judgment.

Marc Helm serves as a Principal Partner at Transformational Mortgage Solutions, bringing over 46 years of extensive experience in the financial services and mortgage banking industry. Currently serving as the President and CEO of both ReverseAmerica Advisors, Inc. and Mortgage Consultants of America (MCA), Marc has established a proven track record of leadership and accomplishments, both within and beyond the mortgage banking sector.

In his notable role as the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc. (RMS), Marc played a pivotal role in steering RMS to become one of the largest Ginnie Mae Securitizers, originators, and servicers/sub servicers in the reverse mortgage industry. His influence has reached various key positions in the industry, including serving as Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Loan Administration Committee and Chairman of the MBA Technology Committee. Recognizing his expertise, he has been honored with memberships in prestigious advisory boards such as the Fidelity (LPS) Information Systems Mortgage Servicing Advisory Board and the National Reverse Mortgage Lender Association’s (NRMLA) Board of Directors.

Marc's commitment to community involvement and philanthropy is evident in his roles as a Board Member of the American Heart Association (AHA), his past chairmanship of the AHA's "Open Your Heart Campaign" for the Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of The Year Award, and his service on the boards of additional organizations such as The Helm Foundation. His dedicated support extends to various causes, including initiatives for children, veterans, military service organizations, and the welfare of homeless mothers and children.

Marc's dedication to philanthropy is complemented by his prior involvement in various committees and campaigns, such as his role as the Former Chairman for the Houston Area Special Olympics Campaign and Former Chairman of the Houston Area United Way Campaign.

Beyond his professional achievements and community engagement, Marc Helm is a family man, celebrating 49 years of marriage to Sallie Fortner Helm. Together, they have two children, Thomas Charles Helm and Dr. Jean Ann Helm Allen, and five grandchildren. Holding a BS Degree (Summa Cum Laude) and an MS Degree from Troy University, Marc showcases his commitment to education and continuous learning. Currently pursuing a PHD in Organizational Psychology, Marc Helm's multifaceted expertise, leadership roles, and philanthropic contributions make him an invaluable Principal Partner at Transformational Mortgage Solutions and reinforces his active role as a Co-Host of the “Lykken on Lending” Podcast.