Senior housing wealth has reached a record $15.34 trillion, yet annual HECM endorsements have fallen to their lowest level since 2003. NRMLA President Steve Irwin explains why he believes the reverse mortgage industry remains strong.

In Part 1 of this Industry Leader Insights interview, Irwin joins HECM World to talk about the state of the reverse mortgage market, the challenges facing federally insured HECMs and the opportunities ahead.

Topics include:

• Why Irwin remains optimistic despite historically low HECM production and how proprietary reverse mortgages are filling gaps in the market.
• NRMLA's push to reform FHA's upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP) structure.
• The industry's relationship with HUD, FHA and Ginnie Mae, including the impact of federal staffing cuts and opportunities for regulatory reform.
• Why NRMLA supports Matt Jones for FHA commissioner.
• The reverse mortgage industry's reputation challenge, how the product has evolved and why misconceptions persist among consumers and mortgage professionals.
• The growing role of traditional mortgage lenders in bringing reverse mortgages into the mainstream.

With record senior housing wealth and an aging population, the industry faces significant opportunities, but also questions about how to translate that potential into stronger HECM production.

Read the full article: https://hecmworld.com/2026/10/12/industry-leader-insights-steve-irwin-hecm-outlook/

Watch Part 1 now, and stay tuned for Part 2, where Steve Irwin looks ahead to the future of the reverse mortgage industry and what needs to change to support long-term growth.

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