HECM for Purchase is gaining momentum across the reverse mortgage industry, but many Realtors still don’t fully understand how it works.

In this week’s Food For Thought, Lisa Moriello, National Reverse Mortgage Sales Leader at Loan Depot, breaks down the five biggest misconceptions Realtors have about HECM for Purchase and explains how reverse mortgage professionals can reframe the conversation.

Whether you’re building Realtor relationships or looking to grow your purchase business, these practical insights can help you turn common objections into opportunities.

In this video:

If you’re serious about growing your HECM for Purchase business, this is a conversation worth sharing with your Realtor partners.

🌐 Read the article: https://hecmworld.com/2026/07/15/food-for-thought-what-realtors-get-wrong-about-hecm-for-purchase-and-why-it-matters/

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Who is the ideal reverse mortgage client today—and how has that changed over the past decade?

In this edition of Industry Leader Insights, Gabe Bodner, President of the 55 Plus Division at OneTrust Home Loans, explores one of the most important questions every reverse mortgage professional should be asking. As housing wealth grows, retirement planning evolves and attitudes toward home equity continue to shift, the traditional “last resort” borrower is no longer the only client worth focusing on.

Gabe discusses the rise of planning-based borrowers, why defining your ideal client can transform your marketing and referral strategy, and how loan officers can position themselves for the next generation of HECM borrowers.

Whether you’re looking to grow your business, refine your target market or better understand where the industry is heading, this conversation offers valuable insights into the future of reverse mortgage lending.

🔗 Read the companion article: https://hecmworld.com/2026/07/13/industry-leader-insights-the-ideal-reverse-mortgage-client-has-changed-has-the-industry-kept-up/

This week on HECM World Weekly, we explore the biggest stories shaping the reverse mortgage industry and the future of housing wealth.

HUD is considering changes to property standards that could make reverse mortgages more accessible, Finance of America expands HomeSafe Second into new markets, and artificial intelligence is driving an extraordinary luxury housing boom in San Francisco unlike anything seen in decades.

We also unpack Realtor.com’s updated housing forecast, examine a new Federal Reserve study on housing demand, discuss why Gen Z is entering the housing market while many Boomers continue ageing in place, and look at what President Trump’s comments on Australia’s retirement system could mean for the future of retirement planning in the United States.

Whether you’re a reverse mortgage professional, lender, financial adviser or simply interested in the trends shaping retirement, this episode provides the context behind the headlines—and what they could mean for your clients and your business.

In this episode:

Read the full HECM World Weekly article:https://hecmworld.com/2026/07/10/hecm-world-weekly-housing-wealth-enters-a-new-era-as-ai-policy-and-demographics-reshape-retirement/

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America’s housing market is entering a new phase.

This week, Realtor.com reported the largest annual decline in asking prices since it began tracking the data in 2017. But is this the beginning of a downturn—or simply a return to a more balanced housing market?

In this week’s HECM World Weekly, Gabrielle Hayen breaks down the biggest housing, home equity and reverse mortgage stories shaping the industry, including:

As always, we go beyond the headlines to explain what these developments mean for reverse mortgage professionals, older homeowners, and the future of housing wealth in America.

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Congress passes the biggest bipartisan housing package in years… then, just hours before it was due to become law, President Trump pulls the brakes.

In this week’s HECM World Weekly, Gabrielle Hayen unpacks what happened, why the housing bill matters, and what it could mean for housing affordability, aging in place and the reverse mortgage industry.

We also explore:

Read the full article here: hecmworld.com

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This week on HECM World Weekly, we examine several major developments shaping housing, retirement planning, and the reverse mortgage industry.

The Federal Reserve entered a new era under Chairman Kevin Warsh, holding rates steady while signaling a more hawkish outlook for the months ahead. We break down what the Fed’s latest decision could mean for mortgage rates, housing activity, and reverse mortgage borrowers.

We also explore new forecasts showing housing wealth continues to grow, with the typical homeowner expected to gain another $16,000 in equity this year. Yet despite rising home values, more older Americans are choosing to age in place rather than downsize.

In this episode:

Taken together, these stories point to a growing trend: older Americans continue accumulating housing wealth, but increasingly want to access it without leaving the homes and communities they love.

Read the full HECM World Weekly article: https://hecmworld.com/2026/06/19/podcast-fed-signals-a-new-direction-housing-wealth-grows-and-more-seniors-choose-to-stay-put/

Subscribe to HECM World for weekly news, insights, interviews, and commentary covering reverse mortgages, home equity, retirement finance, aging in place, and the future of housing wealth.

Housing wealth is becoming one of the most important financial resources available to older Americans — and this week’s news highlighted why.

In this episode of HECM World Weekly, we explore the growing role of home equity in retirement planning as homeowners increasingly access equity without refinancing, existing-home sales show signs of recovery, and policymakers look for ways to improve housing mobility.

We also examine new research showing housing wealth may be becoming more influential than income in shaping future financial outcomes, discuss proposed legislation aimed at encouraging senior downsizing, and explore why aging in place remains a critical part of the housing conversation.

Plus, we recap key takeaways from NRMLA’s Western Regional Meeting, including discussions around Reverse for Purchase, industry advocacy, aging-in-place solutions, artificial intelligence, and the future of retirement finance.

In this episode:

As retirement planning and housing planning continue to converge, understanding home equity has never been more important.

Tune in and read the full article: https://hecmworld.com/2026/06/12/podcast-hecm-world-weekly-homeowners-tap-equity/

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This week’s HECM World Weekly breaks down the latest housing and economic data shaping the future of retirement finance.

The housing market is becoming more rational again. Sellers are adjusting expectations, buyers remain active when affordability makes sense, and mortgage activity continues slowing under the weight of higher rates and elevated housing costs.

At the same time, new research shows Americans age 50+ now generate $12.5 trillion in economic activity annually — reinforcing just how central older homeowners have become to the broader U.S. economy.

But there’s another side to the story: Older Americans are also carrying more debt, facing higher living costs and increasingly relying on housing wealth to support retirement stability.

In this episode:

The broader takeaway?

Read the full article here: https://hecmworld.com/2026/06/05/podcast-buyers-return-older-americans-carry-the-economy/

Subscribe for weekly reverse mortgage industry news, housing insights and retirement finance analysis from HECM World.

This week on HECM World Weekly, we unpack one of the biggest trends shaping the future of retirement and housing finance in America:

Housing wealth is becoming more important at the exact same moment the housing market itself is becoming more frozen, expensive and politically contested.

As mortgage rates climb back toward 6.7%, new-home sales slow, affordability pressures intensify and policymakers push more aggressive housing agendas, older Americans are increasingly being forced to rethink retirement, mobility and aging in place.

In this episode:

Get the full show notes here: hecmworld.com

This week’s developments across the reverse mortgage, retirement and housing sectors highlighted an increasingly important reality for the HECM industry: retirement pressure is intensifying, and home equity is becoming more central to how older Americans manage financial stability later in life.

From HUD audit failures exposing vulnerable reverse mortgage borrowers to potential default, to Illinois rolling out one of the nation’s most comprehensive home equity investment regulatory frameworks, the conversation around housing wealth continues shifting from optional strategy to financial necessity.

At the same time, new retirement research, capital gains concerns and mortgage assistance initiatives all reinforced the growing importance of liquidity, income sustainability and aging-in-place strategies.

For reverse mortgage professionals, the environment continues becoming more strategic, more policy-driven and more interconnected with mainstream retirement planning.