Feb 13 2025
20 Questions With HousingWire Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler | Optimal Blue Summit | January 2025 Data
Market Advantage – Episode 5Welcome to this month’s episode of the Market Advantage podcast by Optimal Blue, recorded on-site at the Optimal Blue Summit in San Diego. The hosts look at mortgage rate lock data from January 2025 before welcoming HousingWire Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler for a round of “20 questions” spanning her career journey, her role at HousingWire, her interests, and more.Key Takeaways:January 2025 rate lock activity: The month saw a nearly 11% increase in overall volumes compared to December, predominantly attributed to a 16% MoM rise in purchase volume, alongside a 9% uptick in cash-out refi activity. However, YoY metrics indicate a slight decline in purchase lock counts, down 6% from January 2024, underscoring the evolving dynamics of the market.A day in the life of HousingWire editor in chief: Sarah Wheeler joins the hosts for a round of “20 questions” focused on industry matters, her career path, the HousingWire team, and moreOptimal Blue Summit: Recorded on-site at the Optimal Blue Summit (Feb. 3-5, 2025), the hosts touch on major product announcements and the buzz at the event.Links and Resources: Subscribe to the Market Advantage data report: https://www2.optimalblue.com/market-advantage/ View the latest 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-BlueFollow Sarah Wheeler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-tester-wheeler/HousingWire website: https://www.housingwire.com/Mentioned in this episode:Market Advantage – Newly Enhanced With New Originator and Secondary Markets Data PointsSmarter Lending Starts with Smarter Data
The newly enhanced Market Advantage report from Optimal Blue delivers unmatched insights across both origination and secondary markets, including property type, debt-to-income ratio, first-time homebuyer status, servicing rights, market rate indices, and investor count at loan sale.
📊 Get the data from the engine that powers your profitability. https://engage.optimalblue.com/market-advantage
Capture for OriginatorsReengage Past Clients Without the Spreadsheet Headache
Tired of manually hunting for refinance opportunities? Capture for Originators does the heavy lifting for you. It automatically scans your closed loan portfolio and flags recapture opportunities – no spreadsheets, no manual work. Just actionable recapture opportunities delivered straight to you.
Learn more: https://www2.optimalblue.com/optimal-blue-launches-new-lead-generation-tool-for-originators or reach out to your Optimal Blue Client service representative for more information.