Welcome to this month’s episode of the Market Advantage podcast by Optimal Blue. Hosts Olivia DeLancey, Brennan O'Connell, and Mike Vough kick off the show with a review of August 2025 mortgage data, covering rate lock and secondary market activity.

The hosts then sit down with Optimal Blue Chief Technology Officer Seever Sulaiman to unpack a recent presentation he delivered on maximizing and measuring ROI on AI investments. The conversation explores the components that go into an AI investment, the role of small vs. large language models, and the importance of building a “center of excellence” to drive innovation within an organization.

Key Takeaways:

• August saw a 2% decline in overall rate lock volume, with purchase activity down 10% and rate-term refinances surging 70%.
• Non-QM lending rose to 8.34% of total production in August, hitting a new record high.
• An AI “center of excellence” can help an organization foster internal expertise necessary for a foundation of success.
• Not all AI use cases require large language models; small language models can be more cost-effective, easier to deploy, and sufficient for many tasks.
• To measure AI, organizations should identify high-impact use cases, benchmark current performance, and track improvements.

Links and Resources:

• Follow Seever Sulaiman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seeversulaiman/
• The AI Hype Cycle – Clip from Seever’s Presentation: https://youtu.be/lmPJDJ9Mnr8
• Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report: https://www2.optimalblue.com/market-advantage/
• Follow Optimal Blue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimal-blue/
• Subscribe to Optimal Blue’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Optimal-Blue
• Follow Mike Vough on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-vough-60467826/
• Follow Brennan O'Connell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-oconnell/
• Follow Olivia DeLancey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-delancey/

Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.

Mentioned in this episode:

Optimal Blue Summit 2026 | February 23-25 | Scottsdale, Arizona

In case you missed it – Optimal Blue has announced the dates for its 2026 Summit! Join us February 23 – 25 at Talking Stick Resort and Conference Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a client-exclusive event packed with strategic insight and innovation. Attendees will gain early access to Optimal Blue’s latest generative AI and automation tools, dive into expert-led sessions on pricing, compliance and more, and experience hands-on demos of new capabilities. Plus, it’s a chance to connect with capital markets pros, integration partners, and mortgage insiders—all while gaining actionable strategies to maximize profitability and sharpen your competitive edge. The Optimal Blue Summit: where proven mortgage...

Welcome to this month’s episode of the Market Advantage podcast by Optimal Blue. Hosts Olivia DeLancey, Brennan O'Connell, and Mike Vough open the show with a discussion on July 2025 mortgage data, highlighting trends in rate lock volumes, refinance activity, and non-agency lending. Later in the episode, Olivia and Mike sit down with Julian Hebron, founder of The Basis Point, to explore rate outlooks, lending trends, and the evolving role of technology in the mortgage industry.

Julian shares The Basis Point’s view that mortgage rates could fall faster than current forecasts suggest, driven by political pressure and potential leadership changes at the Fed. He also discusses the rise of non-QM, HELOCs, and bridge loans as permanent credit tools, and introduces a bold take on the one-stop-shop ownership model – where real estate brokerage becomes a customer acquisition strategy rather than a profit center.

Key Takeaways:

• July saw a 3% decline in rate lock volumes and a 5% drop in purchase activity, offset by increases in cash-out and rate-term refinances.
• Non-agency and non-QM lending continue to grow, driven by investor demand and gig economy borrowers.
• The CME Mortgage Rate future is gaining traction as a hedging tool for MSR and non-agency loan risk.
• The Basis Point forecasts lower mortgage rates by late 2025, citing political pressure and potential Fed leadership changes.
• HELOCs and bridge loans are gaining popularity due to record tappable equity and evolving borrower needs.

Links and Resources:

• Follow Julian Hebron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianhebron/
• Learn more about The Basis Point: https://thebasispoint.com/
• Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report: https://www2.optimalblue.com/market-advantage/
• Follow Optimal Blue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimal-blue/
• Subscribe to Optimal Blue’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Optimal-Blue
• Follow Mike Vough on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-vough-60467826/
• Follow Brennan O'Connell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-oconnell/
• Follow Olivia DeLancey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-delancey/

Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.

Mentioned in this episode:

AI at Optimal Blue – Innovation That Delivers for Your Bottom Line

Is your technology vendor selling real solutions – or just the idea of them? Too often, companies pitch big returns, offer free trials, and promise seamless automation, only to reveal during implementation that the tech doesn’t actually exist. At Optimal Blue, we take a different approach. Our AI-powered automation is already live, already delivering, and already saving lenders real dollars. We show you exactly where the ROI comes from

Welcome to this month’s episode of the Market Advantage podcast by Optimal Blue. Hosts Olivia DeLancey and Mike Vough discuss the June 2025 Market Advantage report, including notable shifts in loan sale execution and pull-through trends. They’re joined by Rob Kessel, founder of Panoramic Capital Advisory and Consulting, who brings decades of capital markets expertise to the conversation.

Rob shares insights on capital markets training and secondary marketing strategy, covering foundational concepts like the best efforts versus mandatory spread, pull-through modeling, and loan sale execution. He emphasizes the importance of transparency, data-driven decision-making, and continuous education in maximizing lender profitability. The conversation also explores how AI and evolving technologies are reshaping the mortgage landscape.

Key Takeaways

• Loans sold to aggregators dropped from 38% to 35%, while agency-backed executions rose, highlighting a shift in lender strategy amid changing market conditions.
• Purchase pull-through rates climbed to nearly 85%, suggesting stronger borrower commitment even as rate volatility introduces new hedging complexities.
• Understanding the best efforts versus mandatory spread is crucial for lenders deciding when to take on risk and how to price loans effectively.

Links and Resources:

• Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report: https://engage.optimalblue.com/market-advantage
• Follow Optimal Blue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimal-blue/
• Subscribe to Optimal Blue’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Optimal-Blue
• Follow Rob Kessel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kessel-66776a6/
• Learn more about Panoramic Capital Advisory and Consulting: https://panoramiccap.com/
• Follow Mike Vough on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-vough-60467826/
• Follow Olivia DeLancey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-delancey/

Commentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.

Mentioned in this episode:

Optimal Blue Summit 2026 | February 23-25 | Scottsdale, Arizona

In case you missed it – Optimal Blue has announced the dates for its 2026 Summit! Join us February 23 – 25 at Talking Stick Resort and Conference Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a client-exclusive event packed with strategic insight and innovation. Attendees will gain early access to Optimal Blue’s latest generative AI and automation tools, dive into expert-led sessions on pricing, compliance and more, and experience hands-on demos of new capabilities. Plus, it’s a chance to connect with capital markets pros, integration partners, and mortgage insiders—all while gaining actionable strategies to maximize profitability and sharpen your competitive edge. The Optimal Blue Summit: where proven mortgage expertise meets modern innovation to shape what's next. Early bird registration is now open at Summit.OptimalBlue.com – space is limited, so register today! News release:...