Digital Mortgage is ground zero for helping lenders refine their operations, and this session kicking off the conference is a pragmatic deep dive with top players on loan production and fulfillment across channels and the customer lifecycle. You’ll get realistic intel on what tech—and ops processes—are helping sales and fulfillment teams most right now; exactly where and when AI will deliver ROI across sales and fulfillment; preparing LOs and fulfillment teams for potential rate drops in late-2025 and 2026; how to operationalize one-stop shop and lifetime customer engagement visions; and how to do all of this profitably as market volatility grows.
The Future of Multi-Channel Mortgage Lending
Join industry stalwart Kim Nichols, who joined Pennymac in 2011 to build what is now America’s largest correspondent investor, and more recently built Pennymac TPO into one of America’s top wholesale lenders. In this discussion, you’ll learn how Pennymac runs their multi-channel strategy, why brokers have gained so much market share, the unique technology challenges in each channel, and what vendors can do to stay relevant to lenders and servicers.
Income documentation accounts for about one third of all loan defects. There’s a broad spectrum of income assessment options to help lenders accurately assess capacity with precision and ease – helping to provide representation and warranty (R&W) relief eligibility for income. Learn what’s new in income calculation technology, policy enhancements, and how to improve business outcomes for all parties involved.
It’s important to create distinct value propositions for each channel, leveraging technology and specialized teams to serve the unique needs of retail customers, brokers, and direct borrowers. Beyond discussing how to do this, the panel will also address methods for minimizing channel conflict, optimizing resource allocation, and maintaining consistent messaging across all channels to maximize overall market reach and profitability.
Is there a secret to successfully adding real estate, title and other non-mortgage services to your game plan? It’s all in how you go about it. Join a panel of industry leaders as they share the definitive playbook for creating profitable joint ventures with real estate agents, title companies, homebuilders and more. Discover how to forge strategic partnerships that expand your customer base, create new revenue streams and future-proof a business in a competitive market. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a crucial advantage and learn how to build a powerful ecosystem for sustained growth.
Navigating a market with razor-thin margins is a challenge. The latest MBA data shows the average independent mortgage bank lost $28 on every loan originated in the first quarter of 2025, with losses even steeper for smaller lenders. Despite this, some of the savviest lenders are not just surviving, but thriving. This powerful discussion will reveal how top-performing mortgage professionals are driving down their average cost per loan by finding hidden efficiencies in everything from commissions to technology and equipment. Attendees will gain exclusive insights into strategies for boosting productivity and improving pull-through rates.
The mortgage industry is at a crossroads, with an evolving economic landscape and intense competition from tech-first startups. This critical session is designed for the boots-on-the-ground mortgage professionals who are working hard to grow their business. We’ll explore paths to growth including growing your team by attracting top-tier loan officers or expanding your business development efforts through powerful partnerships with realtors and builders, as well as leveraging data-driven lead generation. Join us as our expert panelists share actionable insights and discuss the cutting-edge technology that is empowering you to secure more deals.
Stop Waiting for the Fed: Push Rewind with Assumable Loans
If you’re waiting for the fed to lower rates to stimulate business, you’re wasting time. This keynote dives into how a new buyer can still get a 4%, 3% or even 2.5% loan, -right now-, with an assumable mortgage. We’ll dive into the mechanics, policy, and give a report card on how the industry has handled an affordability crisis.
Introduction by Holly Sraeel, SVP, Strategy and Content, National Mortgage News Live Media
Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, advanced automation, data analytics and fraud detection are reshaping how mortgages are marketed, originated, and serviced. This session will explore the state of technology maturity across the industry, the key drivers of adoption, and the operational challenges they present. Panelists will take a closer look at innovations in verifying borrower income, employment, and assets—and what they signal about the future of mortgage technology.
Navigating the Economy and Mortgage Market in Uncertain Times: How to Prepare for the Year Ahead
The presentation-style session will provide perspective and insight on the current economic environment, how that impacts rates, housing and mortgage markets, and the Mortgage Bankers Association’s forecast for the remainder of 2025 and 2026. Additionally, the discussion will dive a step deeper and talk about the impact of technology on mortgage operating costs and productivity.
Introduction by Holly Sraeel, SVP, Strategy and Content, National Mortgage News Live Media
The integration of artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the mortgage industry, with a clear focus on demonstrating a tangible return on investment. As originators increasingly look to servicing to build a customer-for-life strategy, the session explores the pace at which AI is moving from experimental use cases to proven, scalable solutions that deliver real value across both functions. The discussion will cover the current state of AI adoption, from automating routine processes like document reverification and underwriting to using generative AI for customer-facing tools and internal efficiency gains. The session will also examine how innovative platforms are leading to measurable cost savings and increased application volume.
The mortgage industry has already embraced automation and AI through optical character recognition (OCR), automated underwriting systems (AUS), and verification of income and employment (VOIE) tools. But generative AI and agentic AI systems are poised to offer even greater efficiencies and opportunities. This expert panel will be a deep dive into the AI technologies that are reshaping the mortgage industry. Learn how to implement these advanced systems without catastrophe, mitigate risks and transform your operations, leading the way with intelligent automation in an increasingly demanding market.
While federal regulatory oversight may appear to be in flux, states are stepping up to fill the void, creating a new compliance landscape for mortgage professionals. This presents a challenge for many mortgage lenders and servicers, who now face the prospect of navigating a patchwork of 50 different state regulations rather than a single federal standard. This session will explore how to develop a cost-effective strategy for managing these new challenges, including key legislative and enforcement trends, and what to expect from state regulators.
With increased regulatory scrutiny on marketing service agreements, referral fees, and a new political administration changing dynamics for lenders, this session will explore the evolving landscape of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. Attendees will gain critical insights into navigating the complexities of the rules, exploring how lenders can modernize compliance practices and foster beneficial relationships with real estate partners. The session will focus on balancing consumer protection and transparency with the need for competitive, efficient loan origination.
Get your burning questions about the mortgage industry answered at this Ask Me Anything of top producers. We’ll discuss the tech—including, of course, this new generation of powerful genAI—redefining lending practices; how to keep a steady pipeline of business in this high-rate environment; what impact the rash of M&A activity will have on recruitment and compensation; and more.
