Lykken on Lending

The mortgage industry may be approaching one of its biggest technological turning points as AI agents begin challenging the traditional software systems lenders have relied on for decades. In this Weekly AI Update, David Lykken and Pavan Agarwal examine why the rise of autonomous AI could fundamentally disrupt SaaS, legacy loan origination systems, CRMs, and other technology built around people manually entering, processing, and transforming information. Drawing on insights from the AI4 conference and recent discussions about the growing pressure on conventional software companies, they explore a future where mortgage professionals simply tell AI what they need accomplished and intelligent agents execute the work behind the scenes. The conversation also addresses AI trust and reliability, operational efficiency, workforce transformation, and why mortgage executives must treat AI adoption as a strategic leadership decision rather than another technology initiative. For lenders and originators, the message is increasingly clear: the competitive advantage may no longer come from having the best software stack, but from learning how to command AI to do the work.

What can mortgage banking learn from IndyCar racing, private spaceflight, and some of the world’s most ambitious technology ventures? In this episode, David Lykken sits down with entrepreneur and investor Granger Whitelaw for a wide-ranging conversation about the mindset required to turn bold ideas into real-world innovation. From helping launch the Rocket Racing League and supporting breakthrough technologies to experiencing firsthand how even a great business idea can be derailed by bad timing, Whitelaw shares lessons on risk, resilience, leadership, and investing in people who truly understand their industries. The conversation ultimately lands squarely on mortgage banking, where AI and emerging technologies are creating opportunities to rethink the lending process from origination through closing. Rocket Science Meets Mortgage Banking: Lessons in Innovation, Risk & AI explores why the next era of mortgage innovation may belong to leaders willing to think bigger, move intelligently, stay humble, and challenge assumptions about what is possible.

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.

A major financial development at United Wholesale Mortgage is sending ripples through the mortgage industry after UWM reported a staggering $409 million hedging loss, raising significant questions about the company’s capital markets strategy and the circumstances surrounding its proposed Two Harbors transaction. In this special breaking-news edition of Lykken on Lending, David Lykken is joined by Pavan Agarwal and David Pahwa to examine what is known, what remains unanswered, and what the situation could mean for UWM, Oaktree’s investment, and the competitive landscape of wholesale mortgage lending. The conversation also takes a broader look at the importance of disciplined hedging and risk management when hundreds of millions—or even billions—of dollars are at stake.

The bond market is sending a message to the Federal Reserve, and mortgage professionals should be paying attention. In this week’s mortgage commentary, the panel examines why uncertainty surrounding Fed policy and its commitment to controlling inflation is putting pressure on longer-term Treasury yields and mortgage rates. With geopolitical conflict continuing to influence oil prices, inflation expectations remaining critical, and global markets facing an unusually high degree of uncertainty, the path toward meaningfully lower mortgage rates remains complicated. The discussion explores why the bond market may increasingly be calling the shots, what it could take to restore confidence in the inflation outlook, and why lenders need to remain alert and adaptable as volatility creates both risk and opportunity.

This podcast segment explores why mortgage lenders should embrace AI innovation now while establishing strong governance to manage Shadow AI, protect borrower data, and navigate an evolving regulatory landscape.

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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 explores why purchase mortgage demand remains resilient despite elevated interest rates, while rising homeowner's insurance costs and property taxes create new affordability challenges for borrowers.

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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.

This podcast segment examines the CFPB’s potential overhaul of mortgage refinance disclosures, including proposals to eliminate the three-day post-closing rescission waiting period, standardize waiver forms, and reduce unnecessary delays for borrowers and lenders.

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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!

This podcast segment examines why mortgage rates moved higher despite the Fed holding steady, as uncertainty over Fed policy, inflation, Treasury selling, oil prices, and global market volatility pushed rates near their highest levels in more than a year.

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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.

08-04-2026 The Fed Takes a "Magical Mystery Tour"

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Fed Warsh’s mystery tour is hoping Bonds take their own way. Hoping they don’t go astray.

TMSpotlight SoundBites is brought to you by PowerSeller and Adam Quinones' DataQollab.

Bonds continued to show their disapproval of the Fed’s not tightening. Alternatively, the short end acknowledged the Fed’s magical mystery tour creates less hawkishness. So, the curve steepened.

Expect an Iranian deal to restore the path to free-flowing oil, pushing down Oil prices and Bond yields. Regardless, the 10-yr yield remains stuck between 4.80 and 4.20.

Rates GO up. These views are mine. Fed’s new mystery tour. Join TMSpotlight. You got everything you need. Satisfaction guaranteed.

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Song: Magical Mystery Tour (1967) The Beatles