Podcast
Power House
Hosted by HousingWire · EN
The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire's Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
39episodes
Episodes
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From attention to intention: Adam O’Daniel on the future of mortgage marketing
Today00:20:03Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Adam O’Daniel of Guild Mortgage to discuss one of the defining challenges facing housing professionals today: building trust in an era where information is everywhere and credibility is harder to earn than ever. Drawing from recent consumer research, O’Daniel explains why younger buyers increasingly trust friends, family, online communities and digital content more than traditional financial institutions. For lenders and real estate professionals, that shift changes the game. Trust is no longer inherited through a logo or brand name—it must be built through education, transparency and consistent value. The conversation explores the transition from the attention economy to the intention economy, where AI-powered search and recommendation tools are reshaping how consumers find information. Rather than competing for clicks, O’Daniel argues that professionals should focus on becoming the most helpful answer when consumers actively seek guidance. That means creating educational content, answering real questions and building a digital presence that establishes expertise over time. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Adam O'Daniel's LinkedIn Guild Mortgage The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Everything you need to know about housing economics but were afraid to ask
2d ago00:23:45Tap to summarizeIn this solo Power House episode, Zeb Lowe delivers an overview of housing economics built specifically for the professionals working inside the industry every day. Framing the conversation around a simple idea — that housing professionals are expected to be experts without ever being formally taught how the market truly works — Zeb breaks down the core economic concepts that separate good operators from elite ones. The episode spends significant time on the psychology driving today’s market, particularly the way buyers remain anchored to pandemic-era 3% mortgage rates that were never historically normal. Zeb explains why professionals who can contextualize the market (rather than simply repeat headlines) become indispensable advisors to clients navigating uncertainty. He also pushes back on some of the industry’s most persistent myths, including the inevitability of another 2008-style crash, the belief that buyers need 20% down, and the assumption that waiting for lower rates will automatically create better affordability. Throughout the episode, the central theme remains clear: America’s housing shortage is still the defining force shaping affordability, pricing and transaction activity. Ultimately, Zeb makes the case that market fluency is no longer optional. In an environment flooded with national headlines, misinformation and economic noise, the professionals who understand local data, behavioral trends and long-term supply dynamics will be the ones clients trust most. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Bob Hart: Inside ICE’s vision for the future of mortgage technology
6d ago00:06:02Tap to summarizeLIVE from the New York Stock Exchange, Diego Sanchez talks with Bob Hart about how Intercontinental Exchange is modernizing mortgage infrastructure through AI, cybersecurity and connected loan technology. Hart explains that ICE’s experience digitizing markets like the New York Stock Exchange gives the company a strong foundation for improving efficiency and transparency in mortgage lending, which still relies heavily on paper-based processes. He also discusses the company’s cautious but aggressive approach to AI — using automation to improve workflows while maintaining compliance and human oversight in critical parts of the lending process. The conversation also focuses on ICE’s push to connect origination and servicing through platforms like Encompass and technology gained from the Black Knight acquisition, creating a more seamless borrower experience from application through servicing. Looking ahead, Hart says ICE’s growth strategy centers on AI investment, operational efficiency and building a more connected mortgage ecosystem. Related to the episode: Diego Sanchez’ LinkedIn Bob Hart's LinkedIn ICE Mortgage Technology The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Coby Hakalir: Credit Scores, chaos and the future of mortgage lending
1w ago00:21:32Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with longtime mortgage executive, consultant and podcast host Coby Hakalir for a candid conversation about one of the housing industry’s most contentious topics: credit reporting, FICO scoring and the future of mortgage regulation. The discussion centers around his viral op-ed challenging the current mortgage credit ecosystem and questioning whether the industry has become too defensive of legacy systems at the expense of competition and innovation. Zeb and Coby unpack rising credit report costs, the role of the FHFA, unintended consequences of regulation and why loan officers need a deeper understanding of the systems shaping borrower outcomes. The conversation also explores misinformation in today’s market, the importance of industry engagement and why difficult cycles often reveal which professionals are truly committed to evolving with the business. At its core, this episode is about challenging assumptions, questioning entrenched systems and asking what a smarter, more competitive mortgage industry could actually look like. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Coby Hakalir's LinkedIn Opinion: FICO, the 3Bs: Fruit from a rotten tree. Here’s how we fix It. The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Stephen Butler: The mortgage industry’s AI reality check
2w ago00:16:51Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with AI and enterprise software executive Stephen to discuss where artificial intelligence is actually headed in mortgage lending beyond the hype cycle. Stephen explains why the industry is shifting from flashy AI promises to practical implementation, with the real opportunity centered around augmenting teams, improving workflows, and scaling production more efficiently. The conversation also explores why mortgage tech adoption has historically struggled, and why change management — not technology itself — remains one of the industry’s biggest obstacles. Zeb and Stephen also dive into interoperability challenges, clean data infrastructure, AI drift, and how artificial intelligence could reshape staffing models, lender consolidation, and loan cycle times over the next several years. At its core, this episode is about a simple reality: the lenders investing in AI infrastructure and adoption today may define the next era of mortgage lending. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Stephen Butler's LinkedIn The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Steve Ozonian on AI, Rocket’s big bet and the future of housing
2w ago00:40:43Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Power House, Diego Sanchez sits down with Steve Ozonian for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of housing, mortgage, title, and proptech. Drawing on decades of leadership experience across companies like LendingTree, loanDepot, and Williston Financial Group, Ozonian explains why AI and data will shape the next era of real estate — while warning that fragmented infrastructure remains one of the industry’s biggest obstacles. The discussion explores Rocket Companies’ expansion strategy, MLS fragmentation, private listings, fraud risks, and the growing importance of title companies in an increasingly digital environment. Ozonian also shares his perspective on leadership, succession planning, and why local agents still hold enormous influence despite rapid technological change. This episode is about the next phase of housing: combining technology, AI, and trusted human relationships into a more connected consumer experience. Related to the episode: Diego Sanchez’ LinkedIn Steve Ozonian's LinkedIn The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Carter Malloy: Why better land data is the foundation of better housing supply
3w ago00:21:45Tap to summarizeOn this sponsored episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Carter Malloy to discuss why better land data may be one of the most important and overlooked pieces of solving the housing supply crisis. Malloy explains how his experience in land investing exposed a major industry problem: builders, developers, and investors were still making massive decisions using fragmented systems, outdated information, and hyper-local knowledge. That challenge eventually led to the creation of Acres, a platform designed to bring transparency, speed, and intelligence to land acquisition and development. The conversation explores how better visibility into zoning, infrastructure, ownership, and growth patterns can help bring housing to market more efficiently. Malloy also breaks down the difference between AI hype and AI that actually creates operational value, arguing that the real opportunity lies in combining high-quality geospatial data with intelligent systems capable of analyzing land-use variables at scale. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Carter Malloy's LinkedIn Acres The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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PennyMac’s mortgage playbook and how to scale over time
3w ago00:20:19Tap to summarizeLIVE from Austin, Texas at The Gathering, this conversation with David Spector, Chairman and CEO of PennyMac, is all about timing, scale, and playing the long game in a consolidating mortgage market. Spector walks through the company’s pivot from a purely organic growth mindset to a strategic acquisition of Cenlar—not as a change in philosophy, but as a response to reality. Building subservicing from scratch would’ve taken years. Buying scale? Immediate impact. The move accelerates PennyMac’s position in servicing while setting the stage for deeper investment in technology. But this isn’t just an M&A story—it’s a culture story. Spector makes it clear: deals don’t fail because of numbers, they fail because of people. His approach flips the script—don’t force culture down, build alignment across. Integration, in his view, is about listening, not dictating. Zoom out, and the bigger strategy comes into focus: convergence. Production and servicing are no longer separate lanes—they’re one ecosystem. That’s why PennyMac is physically consolidating teams (like in Dallas) and operationally aligning around recapture—owning the customer relationship from first loan to refinance. And then there’s AI. Not hype—execution. Spector is pushing a decentralized model where business leaders own efficiency, supported by embedded AI talent. No “big bang” transformation—just constant iteration: build, deploy, refine. Over and over. Through it all, the thesis is simple: in a market where margins are tight and capacity is high, efficiency wins. PennyMac isn’t betting on rates to save the business—they’re building a model that works no matter where rates go. Related to the episode: Diego Sanchez' LinkedIn David Spector's LinkedIn The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Are we there yet? The end of innovation in mortgage and real estate
4w ago00:24:59Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe explores the possibility that housing is moving out of the innovation era and into the predictive turn. For years, the industry has focused on speed, automation, and better user experience. But perhaps the next real competitive advantage is no longer innovation. It’s calibration. In a business built on forecasts, probabilities, and expectations, the professionals who win will be the ones whose instruments are closest to reality. The episode explores why housing has always been a prediction business, how AI is changing the way borrowers gather information, and why human interpretation matters more than ever in high-stakes financial decisions. Zeb also offers practical guidance for loan officers, agents, and executives looking to improve forecast accuracy, communicate uncertainty more clearly, and build trust in a market increasingly shaped by predictive tools. At its core, this episode is about a simple idea: in the next phase of housing, accuracy will matter more than speed. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn AI Visibility Workbook The Dane Cook window: How to win the AI land grab (Apple) The Dane Cook window: How to win the AI land grab (Spotify) The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate: Laura Brandao’s Leadership Blueprint
Apr 3000:31:28Tap to summarizeOn this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Laura Brandao to discuss the mindset, habits, and leadership principles that help mortgage professionals win in any market cycle. Brandao shares the philosophy that shaped much of her career growth: saying yes to opportunities before the full path is clear. She explains why curiosity, momentum, and adaptability are critical in an industry where conditions can change quickly. The conversation also explores the daily disciplines behind long-term success — structured routines, consistent communication, and building cultures centered on education, trust, and accountability. From recruiting and team development to leadership at scale, Brandao offers practical insight for professionals looking to grow their influence and build something that lasts. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Laura Brandao's LinkedIn The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
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