“Rob, we’ve said ‘no’ to more expansion possibilities than ever before. Are you hearing other lenders doing deep dives on LOs and branches and also not seeing a profitable path?” Yes indeedy. Here in Jackson, MS, at the Mississippi Mortgage Banker’s Fall Conference, lenders are not only discussing expansion but also early payoff penalties and strategies to avoid them. (Of course, they are explaining to newer entrants why few investors would ever pay 102 or 104 for a loan that may pay off soon at 100.) One topic is why companies service, or sell service, and this month’s STRATMOR piece is titled, “Servicing: What’s All the Fuss About?” Another topic on lenders’ minds are demographics, income, and reasons for moving, and now we have government news that income inequality has dipped and fewer people moved, per the largest survey of U.S. life. Talk to any solid loan originator, and they’ll tell you that the top three attributes of their brethren are focus, leadership, and consistency. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s are sponsored by Indecomm. Streamlining operations with the genius blend of automation, AI, and services. Achieve practical digital transformation and real operational impact with Indecomm’s purpose-built mortgage solutions. Hear an interview with Polunsky Beitel Green’s Peter Idziak on takeaways from the bipartisan Home Buyers Privacy Protection Act (trigger leads bill), which amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act by shifting trigger leads to an opt-in system, mandates a study on text-based solicitations, and raises concerns about its impact on credit bureau revenue and market competition.)