Clear to Close

Maxwell

Each episode of Clear to Close is a deep dive into topics impacting mortgage and real estate professionals. We’ll be sitting down with industry thought leaders and seasoned mortgage pros to challenge our assumptions and go beyond surface-level discussions for a no-BS view of the issues impacting the industry.

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Top 10 Clear to Close Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Clear to Close episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Clear to Close for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Clear to Close episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Big Market Headlines Every Lender Should Consider Going into 2H24

Clear to Close

07/19/24 • 35 min

Going into the second half of the year, there's plenty to pay attention to in market news: From talk of rate cuts to the new FCC rule on mortgage leads, changes on the horizon could drive new opportunities (and new challenges) for lenders. Here to weigh in is the Clear to Close crew. In this episode, Alan, Anthony, and Bryan discuss the foremost topics lenders should understand in the latter part of 2024, along with actions lenders can take to get ahead of market changes.

Borrower Segments & Lending Strategies to Incorporate in Your 2024 Plan (ft. Melissa Langdale, President & COO of TMC)

Clear to Close

11/20/23 • 40 min

This week on the Clear to Close podcast, we have a special guest: Melissa Langdale, TMC President and COO and a career-long mortgage veteran. In this conversation, Melissa leverages her unique perspective gleaned from interactions with lenders across the industry to provide actionable tips on how to drive revenue and capture market share in 2024.

The Future of AI in Mortgage

Clear to Close

07/28/23 • 40 min

Artificial intelligence: Is it the efficiency-driving copilot you've been waiting for or an increasingly intelligent force vying for your job? To move past polarizing headlines and unpack the truth, we spoke with someone who lives and breathes technology: Maxwell Co-founder & CTO Rutul Davé. In this episode, Rutul breaks down the implications of AI in the mortgage industry in an approachable, easy-to-understand way to help lending professionals understand the best uses cases, opportunities, and limitations of this rapidly-growing technology.

How to Drive Referral Business in 2024's Competitive Mortgage Market

Clear to Close

03/12/24 • 38 min

No one knows exactly what lies ahead this year, but one thing is clear: 2024's market will remain competitive, with make-or-break economic factors influencing recovery and lenders scrambling for profitability amid evolving challenges. One headline set to impact the market is ongoing trouble brewing in the commercial real estate sector: As assets continue to underperform and major debt comes due, impacts will trickle into the housing market and economy in general. Here to talk through this major event is Michael Malone, owner of Malone Bunting Real Estate Group and a long-time real estate agent and industry expert. Along with giving his thoughts on the commercial real estate space—and its possible impact on residential markets—Michael speaks with host Bryan Traeger on what it will take for loan officers to win valuable referral business from real estate agents this year.

Major Factors That Could Boost (or Derail) 2024's Housing Market

Clear to Close

12/20/23 • 35 min

Recent Fed announcements, declining interest rates, and increased loan activity spell an optimistic end to the year. But is the mortgage industry's renewed sense of hope warranted—and is the worst truly behind us? In this episode of Clear to Close, hosts Alan, Bryan, and Anthony dig into their thoughts on 2024's market, including how they believe rates will trend, economic and global factors that could impact housing, and more.

What's Really Causing Housing Market Woes (& What It'll Take for Conditions to Stabilize)

Clear to Close

09/29/23 • 45 min

With Alan Parris freshly back from sabbatical, the Clear to Close team dives into the topic on everyone's minds: housing market challenges. While it's easy to point fingers and ascribe blame at times like these, the truth is that the forces driving today's conditions are varied and complex. In this conversation, we dig into a few of the factors keeping rates high, inventory stifled, and volume low—and talk through what it will take to turn the corner.

How the NAR Ruling Will Impact Lenders (& the Entire Home-Buying Process)

Clear to Close

04/08/24 • 38 min

The groundbreaking NAR settlement has real estate agents, lending professionals, and home buyers scrambling to understand its ramifications. Here to weigh in is the Clear to Close crew: In this conversation, Alan, Bryan, and Anthony channel their experience in the industry to walk through possible outcomes of the ruling. Specifically, this episode explores how new policy changes are likely to impact lead generation, methods to earn borrower business, and more—and how lenders can best get ahead of the major ways the home-buying process is about to change.

Audience Q&A (Special Edition of Clear to Close!)

Clear to Close

06/12/24 • 44 min

Ever wonder how AI and mortgage technology will evolve over the next five years? How about what it would take for housing inventory to improve in the foreseeable future? In this special episode of the Clear to Close podcast, hosts Alan and Anthony dive into the burning questions asked by you—our audience. To hear the Clear to Close team’s thoughts on a range of subjects, from market speculation to long-term views of the mortgage industry, don’t miss this interactive episode.

How to Connect with Hispanic Borrowers & Improve Homeownership Access (with Laura Arce, SVP of UnidosUS)

Clear to Close

03/09/23 • 55 min

Hispanic and Latino populations are an integral, growing part of American communities and a rising force in U.S. homeownership. Still, many Spanish-speaking borrowers struggle with the financial, logistical, and readiness challenges related to home buying. In our latest conversation on Clear to Close, we sit down with an expert on the topic: Laura Arce. With tenure in public policy and housing policy at Wells Fargo and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (FHFA), Laura now serves as SVP of UnidosUS, a nonprofit dedicated to building a positive economic trajectory for Latinos through homeownership.

002: Mortgage Marketing Madness

Clear to Close

12/17/19 • 67 min