BBYS, Anti-Fraud, Subservicing Products; Primer Hedging Information for MLOs; Cap. Markets Deep Dive

Rob Chrisman • May 8, 2026

If you haven’t signed up for the Mortgage Action Alliance, do so. It’s free, has good advocacy information, and there’s strength in numbers. Recent conference chatter includes suggesting that removing politics from the mortgage conversation would be a good thing to attempt, wondering if there’s enough regulatory manpower muscle to take the existing LO comp rules and re-jigger them, some believing that the recent credit score announcements are lacking leave much to be desired, asking why the Fed’s useful Twitter account (Financial Sentiment Index, TFSI) vanished, and suggestions that Southern California’s hottest nightclub was the main ballroom at Mortgage Innovators with its extensive techno play list. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by FirstClose, which provides fintech solutions to HELOC and mortgage lenders nationwide. Their home equity lending platform accelerates the home equity lending process, reducing application to closing times from 45 days to less than ten. Today we have an interview with Digital Risk’s Kim Lanham on how the Iran conflict and broader geopolitical uncertainty are influencing mortgage rates, borrower decision-making, servicing retention strategies, borrower assistance programs, and emerging credit and fraud risks across both Agency and non-QM lending.) Lender and Broker Products, Software, and Services Why Partnering with MSF as Your Sub-Servicer Is a Strategic Advantage: Built for Speed, Service, and Retention. In today's mortgage servicing landscape, smaller institutions often find themselves working with sub-servicers built for scale, not responsiveness. The result: delayed borrower support, missed engagement opportunities, and lost relationships. MSF Servicing was built to solve that problem. MSF delivers a level of attention larger providers cannot match. Every borrower inquiry, issue, and client request is handled on a same-day or 24-hour basis, because in servicing, speed drives retention. Timely, empathetic responses keep borrowers engaged and relationships intact. Delays create friction; responsiveness builds trust. Led by an industry veteran with deep expertise in customer service and loss mitigation, MSF brings proactive engagement and retention-focused outcomes to every portfolio it manages. The result: a sub-servicing partner who moves at the speed your borrowers expect and delivers the care your brand demands. Contact Rick Smith at 860-989-9006.

Scaling Your Fix and Flip Portfolio: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Leverage

By A Thomas Micheletti • May 14, 2026
In the high-stakes world of real estate investing, speed and liquidity are the two pillars of growth. You can be the most talented renovator in the market, but if your capital is locked in a single project for six months, your growth isn’t just slow: it’s stagnant. As we navigate 2026, the landscape for real estate financing has shifted. The days of ultra-low interest rates are behind us, but the demand for quality housing remains at an all-time high. For the experienced investor, this isn't...

Mastering Bridge Loans: The Secret to 5-Day Closings

By A Thomas Micheletti • May 14, 2026
In the high-stakes world of real estate investing, speed isn't just an advantage: it’s the currency of the realm. We’ve all been there: you find a distressed multi-family property or a prime off-market single-family residence, the numbers scream "profit," and the seller wants a decision yesterday. You call your traditional bank, and they start talking about a 45-day closing window and 30 pages of personal tax returns. By the time the bank’s underwriter finishes their first cup of coffee, the...

Ground Up Construction: A Step-by-Step Financing Guide

By A Thomas Micheletti • May 14, 2026
For seasoned developers and ambitious real estate investors, ground-up construction represents the pinnacle of value creation. It is the transition from a vision on a blueprint to a tangible, high-yield asset. However, the path from site preparation to the final certificate of occupancy is paved with financial complexities that can stall even the most promising projects. At Credo Group Capital, we understand that in the world of development, speed is a currency and flexibility is a...

DSCR vs Conventional: Why Real Estate Investors are Switching

By A Thomas Micheletti • May 14, 2026
If you have been in the real estate game for more than a minute, you know the feeling. You’ve found a killer deal, maybe a distressed four-plex or a turnkey single-family rental with massive upside. Your bank account is ready, your contractor is on standby, and your portfolio is primed for growth. Then you talk to a traditional bank. Suddenly, you’re buried in three years of tax returns, 1099s, profit & loss statements, and a microscope on your personal Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio. Even if the...

The Future of Multi-Family Financing in 2026

By A Thomas Micheletti • May 14, 2026
The landscape of multi-family real estate has shifted dramatically as we move through 2026. Gone are the days of ultra-low interest rates and "easy" equity growth. Today’s market demands a more sophisticated approach: one that prioritizes operational discipline, realistic underwriting, and creative capital structures. At Credo Group Capital, we’ve watched this evolution closely, adapting our services to ensure our clients stay ahead of the curve. Whether you are an experienced developer or a...

Fix and Flip Secrets Revealed: What Experts Don't Want You to Know About 100% Rehab Funding

By A Thomas Micheletti • May 11, 2026
In the high-stakes world of real estate investing, liquidity is the lifeblood of every successful project. You’ve likely seen the headlines promising "100% financing" or "No Money Down" flips. For many investors, these claims sound like a shortcut to wealth. However, the reality behind those slogans is often buried in fine print, hidden fees, & rigid terms that can paralyze a project before the first wall is demoed. At Credo Group Capital, we believe in transparency over slogans. We provide...

Weaker Start After Peace Deal Stalls

May 11, 2026
Bonds are starting the day moderately weaker. The reasons are straightforward. Chief among them, Trump rejected Iran's counterproposal to end the war, calling it "totally unacceptable." In response, Iran's foreign minister said it will never bow to foreign pressure. Adding fuel to the fire, Netanyahu said the war was not over and there was "more work to be done."  When trading began late Sunday night, oil prices were roughly 5bps higher and 10yr yields rose 4bps to roughly 4.40%. Despite those losses, trading levels for both oil prices and bond yields remain lower than they were before last week's big rally on Wednesday morning.

Weaker Start After Peace Deal Stalls

By Matthew Graham • May 11, 2026
Bonds are starting the day moderately weaker. The reasons are straightforward. Chief among them, Trump rejected Iran's counterproposal to end the war, calling it "totally unacceptable." In response, Iran's foreign minister said it will never bow to foreign pressure. Adding fuel to the fire, Netanyahu said the war was not over and there was "more work to be done."  When trading began late Sunday night, oil prices were roughly 5bps higher and 10yr yields rose 4bps to roughly 4.40%. Despite those losses, trading levels for both oil prices and bond yields remain lower than they were before last week's big rally on Wednesday morning.

Calm and Slightly Stronger, But Volatility Will be Back

By Matthew Graham • May 8, 2026
Calm and Slightly Stronger, But Volatility Will be Back Once or twice per week, the bond market manages to post a fairly calm trading day against the prevailing backdrop of generally higher volatility. Today was such a day. The most helpful catalyst was an absence of any major war-related headlines and associated oil price volatility. That said, it's a near certainty that war-related volatility will be back in the coming week.  Econ Data / Events Average earnings mm (Apr) 0.2% vs 0.3% f'cast, 0.2% prev Non Farm Payrolls (Apr) 115K vs 62K f'cast, 178K prev Participation Rate (Apr) 61.8% vs -- f'cast, 61.9% prev Unemployment rate mm (Apr) 4.3% vs 4.3% f'cast, 4.3% prev Consumer Sentiment (May) 48.2 vs 49.5 f'cast, 49.8 prev Sentiment: 1y Inflation (May) 4.5% vs -- f'cast, 4.7% prev Sentiment: 5y Inflation (May) 3.4% vs -- f'cast, 3.5% prev Market Movement Recap 08:32 AM No major reaction to jobs report. MBS up 2 ticks (.06) and 10yr down 1.5bps at 4.375 10:46 AM Slightly stronger but leveling off.  MBS up 6 ticks (.19) and 10yr down 3.6bps at 4.356 02:13 PM MBS up 5 ticks (.16) and 10yr down 3.5bps at 4.356

Mortgage Rates End Week Slightly Lower

By Matthew Graham • May 8, 2026
It ended up being a decent round trip for rates this week. Monday kicked things off with a jump to the highest level in more than a month, and the third highest since August 2025. But that ended up being the only day where rates went higher.  Wednesday brough the biggest chunk of the recovery with MND's daily rate index dropping 0.10%.  Tuesday and Friday (today) each added a 0.02% drop, taking the index to 6.42% after ending last week at 6.44%. War-related headlines were less of a factor today and volatility was unsurprisingly lighter as a result. This is an adjustment for seasoned rate watchers who are used to monthly jobs report being a distinct source of volatility. It's especially notable that the job count came in significantly higher with no ill effect on bonds/rates. Over the past 6 months, markets have shifted their jobs report focus from the payroll count to the unemployment rate, reversing decades of precedent. Today's outcome is more logical in that context as the unemployment rate was right in line with expectations at 4.3%.