The mortgage market has been testing people for three years. Barry Habib has been through far worse — and he has something to say about how you carry yourself through it.

Barry Habib returns to Batting 1,000 for his fifth consecutive season to break down what is actually happening in the economy, where rates are headed, and what loan officers should be doing right now to prepare for the opportunities ahead.

A #1 bestselling author, three-time Crystal Ball Award winner, and board member of Fannie Mae, Barry is the founder of MBS Highway and one of the most trusted voices in mortgage and financial markets. He was among the first to forecast interest rates below six percent in 2026 — and got it right while almost no one else did.

This episode goes beyond the numbers. Barry opens up about his cancer battle, eleven months in remission, and the mindset that carried him through multiple failed treatments without losing optimism or forward momentum. His message to loan officers navigating a difficult market draws directly from that experience.

In this Batting 1,000 conversation, Dale Vermillion and Barry cover the full picture — personal, economic, and tactical.

They cover:

Barry's cancer journey, what finally worked, and why he's fighting to get the treatment more widely available
The Iran conflict, oil markets, and what they mean for interest rates right now
Why Jerome Powell has been one of the most damaging Fed chairs in modern history — and what Kevin Warsh changes
The real state of the labor market and why unemployment claims no longer tell the full story
How to use the strike rate strategy to lock in future refis before the window closes
Why homeownership builds 44x more net worth than renting — and how to explain it to any borrower
The leveraged return math that makes real estate unlike any other investment

If you want to understand the market, prepare your pipeline, and walk into borrower conversations with genuine conviction, this episode delivers the framework straight from the most accurate forecaster in the business.

About Barry Habib

Barry Habib, CEO of MBS Highway, is an American entrepreneur and frequent media resource for his mortgage and housing expertise.

Amazon #1 bestselling author for his book “Money in the Streets”
Director on Fannie Mae Board
Widely credited with saving the Mortgage Industry in 2020 from Margin Calls due to Fed Actions. His presentation to the Fed created stability at a critical time.

Notable Awards

The 2024 Crystal Ball Award by Fannie Mae, Pulsenomics, and Zillow for the most accurate real estate forecasts out of the 150 top economists in the US, marks his fourth win in seven years.
2019 Mortgage Professional of the Year
Finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Named to Mortgage Global 100 List
2024 Distinguished Industry Service Award by NAMB
The St. Armand Ventures Businessman of the Year 2021
Named to the list of 100 People to Watch in 2023

During his mortgage sales career, Barry personally originated over $2 Billion.

Connect with Barry

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-habib-6b001910/

Web → https://www2.highway.ai

Subscribe to MBS Highway → email Diana@mbshighway.com and mention Batting 1,000

About Dale Vermillion

Dale Vermillion, an industry icon, has trained over 1,000,000 lending professionals and worked with more than 600 organizations. He is a three-time HousingWire Vanguard, a member of the 2022 Global Mortgage 100, and the author of Navigating the Mortgage Maze. Dale is also the founder of Mortgage Professionals Providing Hope.

Connect with Dale

Connect with @DaleVermillion

LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/dalevermillion

Facebook → https://facebook.com/dalevermillionofficial

X → https://x.com/dalevermillion

Website → https://dalevermillion.com

Email → listen@dalevermillion.com

About Batting 1,000

Batting 1,000 with Dale Vermillion is a production of Mortgage Champions. The show is produced and edited by Jake Vermillion. Music by Envato Elements.