Lykken on Lending

This podcast segment explains how bond markets and mortgage rates remain in a holding pattern as investors wait for clarity on the Iran conflict, with geopolitical headlines outweighing economic 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.

04-29-20.26 Europe’s Growth "Headed For A Heartbreak"

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Mining came, but US blocked the Oil.

Bye, Iran’s money.

The blockade will lead to the closure of Iran's oil wells and a freeze on revenue. Bonds know that the Strait of Hormuz will open eventually. However, Oil and the Dollar dance to the tune of war headlines.

Iran’s mullahs are pawns of the military, and its civil leaders want to maintain an economic future and stay alive. Leadership confusion causes ups and downs in negotiations. Thus, Europe’s growth feels the pain.

Headed for a heartbreak.

These views are mine.

Join TMSpotlight to know who feels the pain.

Don't you think Oil feels the pain?

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Song: Headed For A Heartbreak (1989) Winger

This podcast segment breaks down FHFA’s push to modernize mortgage credit scoring through the rollout of VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, aiming to increase competition and expand borrower access.

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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 mortgage industry isn’t simply adopting AI—it’s undergoing a structural shift in how work actually gets done. In this episode, David Lykken sits down with Troy Kennedy, CEO of LoanWorks, to unpack what really changes when AI is embedded directly into workflow infrastructure. Instead of layering automation onto broken processes, this conversation challenges the industry to rethink coordination, decision-making, and execution from the ground up. The result isn’t just faster loans—it’s a fundamentally different operating model where intelligence guides the workflow, reduces friction, and surfaces issues before they become problems. If you’re still thinking about AI as a tool, this discussion will reframe how you see the future of mortgage operations.

What separates mortgage companies that simply survive from those that truly endure? In this episode, David Lykken sits down with the leadership team behind Alcova Mortgage to unpack the real operating principles behind long-term success. Drawing inspiration from Built to Last, the conversation goes far beyond production numbers and into the core of what actually sustains a company—strong culture, disciplined decision-making, and the willingness to challenge each other in pursuit of better outcomes. From navigating AI without chasing hype to building a culture where employees stay and thrive, this episode offers a blueprint for leaders who want to build something that lasts, not just something that grows.

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.

Global events are once again taking center stage in shaping the direction of mortgage rates, and the impact is anything but straightforward. In this segment, industry experts unpack how ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly surrounding energy supply and the Strait of Hormuz, are influencing oil prices, inflation expectations, and ultimately interest rates. While there’s a clear desire for rates to move lower, persistent uncertainty and supply-side risks are keeping markets in a holding pattern. The discussion highlights a critical reality for mortgage professionals: external forces beyond traditional economic data are driving market behavior, and understanding these dynamics is key to navigating today’s volatile lending environment.

This podcast segment explores how the rapid rise of AI tools is creating overload and fatigue for mortgage professionals, highlighting the need for focused strategies and simplified adoption to drive real results.

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Allen Pollack, a Mortgage & Financial Services Technology Advisor, is a subject matter expert in the mortgage origination process along with software product management and software development.

In today’s financial services push to all things Digital, Allen has been helping lenders and financial services solution providers align their digital transformation and technology strategies by removing the human element of risk, and automating processes that drive efficiencies and margins into profits.

Over the course of his career, Allen has co-created and developed technology business models that have birthed highly successful, innovative solutions and companies.

Allen co-founded and served as CTO of New York Loan Exchange (NYLX), a loan product eligibility and pricing engine (PPE) that made an immediate impact on the industry, scaling the company quickly and forming partnerships with multiple mortgage and financial lending companies. In 2012, Allen was a co-founder of a merger between NYLX and Aklero Risk Analytics that created LoanLogics, A Mortgage Loan Quality and Performance Analytics company. Allen served as CTO where he continued to bring new and innovative product solutions to the market that made a significant impact to mortgage lenders that reduced risk, scaled business channels, and grew profits in a very competitive and highly regulated market.

Allen is also is mortgage and finance technology contributor on a weekly live industry podcast, Lykken on Lending, and is launching a new podcast soon to be released, TechStack Radio, dedicated to technology and innovation in Financial Services.

This podcast segment reflects on remarkable real-life coincidences that spark a deeper conversation about whether life’s unexpected connections are random or part of a greater design.

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.

This podcast segment explores how rising loan pipelines are colliding with industry fatigue, driving a wave of consolidation as some mortgage lenders scale for growth while others choose to exit.

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David G. Kittle, CMB is a highly respected leader in the mortgage industry, with over 45 years of experience. He is the Co-Founder and Chairman of The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), a mortgage lending cooperative providing members with access to resources and tools to improve their business operations.

Kittle began his mortgage banking career with American Fletcher Mortgage Company as a top-producing loan officer in 1978 moving to the management side in 1986 with Southmark Mortgage. He opened Associates Mortgage Group, the first of his three lending companies in 1994.

Kittle served as MORPAC Chairman for MBA, from 2004-2006. He is past President of both the Louisville and Kentucky Mortgage Bankers Associations, as well as leading the industry through its most tumultuous period as Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, Washington DC in 2009. Kittle has testified before congress 14 times.

Kittle has been a driving force behind the growth and success of TMC, working to bring together mortgage lenders from across the country to share best practices and collaborate on key industry issues. Kittle has also been a vocal advocate for innovation and technology adoption in the mortgage industry, urging lenders to embrace new tools and strategies to improve their operations and better serve their customers.

Kittle is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences, sharing his expertise on a variety of topics related to mortgage lending.

He resides in Louisville, Kentucky, he has four children and two grandchildren.