Housing Insiders

It's a Housing Insiders month unlike any other. This month, we're sharing a 2-part series on shared equity, featuring models that allow consumers to do something besides just renting or owning a home, but sharing. In Part 1, you'll hear Jonathan & Jeremy introduce the concept & key terminology of shared home equity, followed by interviews with Ownify Founder & CEO Frank Rohde and Cedar Co-Founder & CEO Stuart Allan. Ownify's fractional ownership platform partners savvy investors with qualified first-time homebuyers, and Cedar's lease model allows consumers to finally afford the home they want. Hear how fractional ownership works, the perks of seeing the real-time value of your home, what happens when you add the benefits of renters into homeownership, the nature of land leases, and investor considerations for shared equity. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform.  This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Former Coldwell Banker CEO and now btcRE Founder Ryan Gorman spends his time turning stubborn buildings into productive, community‑anchored assets. In this episode of Housing Insiders, Ryan joins Jonathan and Jeremy to talk candidly about what it really takes to make a redevelopment pencil out today: juggling design and finance, deciding whether becoming a developer is still worth it, why it's so hard to build anything new, the biggest obstacles that stall projects, and how far building codes constrain what's possible. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards  

Jeremy Potter picks up the solo hosting duties in this Bonus Episode of Housing Insiders live from the 2025 Prosperity Summit. He was on a panel with Niles Lichtenstein, the Co-Founder & CEO of Nestment - the team of first-time homebuying experts. In this session, they tackle the death of the starter home and what first-time homebuyers can actually do to get in the home equity game. Hear the history of the starter home, the various shared equity options to help first-time homebuyers, shocking stats on homeownership, how we can create more confidence among first-time homebuyers, and whether first-time homebuying tools could ever be offered by employers. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Another crazy year, another crazy year in the housing industry. In this special episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy look back at how their 2025 housing predictions fared and reveal their housing predictions for 2026. Hear what excites them about innovation in the housing industry, how AI will impact lending this year, the housing policy changes that may or may not finally happen, a lightning round of housing takes on real estate & offsite construction, and an impressive amount of Scarlett Johansson shoutouts. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

It's the most wonderful time of the year, so we naturally had to get something off our chest. In this special episode of Housing Insiders, Jeremy plays solo host and Jonathan plays guest, bringing his Christmas Wish List for FHFA Director Bill Pulte and the GSEs. It's an extra passion-filled episode that reveals Jonathan's biggest wish for 2026, the creation of a GSE-backed construction loan. The Build My Home Mortgage could turn a niche, confusing "construction-to-perm" corner of the market into a mainstream path where realtors, lenders, and small builders can confidently tell families, "Can't find the home you want? We'll build it with you." It's an interesting solution to the supply crisis, especially when you consider the number of abandoned homes, empty lots, and land for sale while the housing crisis rages on. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Dennis Shea is the Executive Vice President and Chair of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC). His past work with the Bipartisan Center includes serving as a consultant to the BPC's blue-ribbon Housing Commission and its Senior Health and Housing Task Force. Hear what the government should be focusing on to make housing more affordable, what's holding up zoning reform, the most game-changing (or not) pieces of housing legislation in the works, what's next for GSEs, and why we're truly in a moment where anything can happen in housing. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for tuning into Housing Insiders and for making this show so special.  In this Thanksgiving Special episode, Jonathan & Jeremy serve up their favorite Thanksgiving meal traditions - from those cheese ball appetizers to the air-fried bird - along with sides of their favorite products & trends they're liking in the industry. After a boozy Friendsgiving, Jonathan usually needs to take his pecan pie to go, and he thinks a mortgage should be portable too. Hear what else they have on their housing menu. And for Giving Tuesday, please consider a donation to DBG-Detroit at DBGDetroit.org Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. 

Inspectify Co-Founder & CEO Josh Jensen is fed up with the state of property & home inspections. That's why he started his company - a vertically integrated property inspection & underwriting platform. He joins Jonathan Lawless & Jeremy Potter in this fiery episode of Housing Insiders - not Psychology Insiders - to talk the past, present, and future of property & home inspections. Hear who gets home inspections & why, The Taylor Swift Problem in the world of inspections, what needs to change to improve home inspections, how AI could help home inspectors, and the most common things inspections uncover. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform.  This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Vellum Mortgage Principal Patrick Gardner and Ardley Founder & CEO Nate Den Herder join their buddies Jonathan Lawless and Jeremy Potter for a special in-person, Horse Soldier Bourbon-fueled edition of Housing Insiders. Gardner founded Vellum Mortgage to provide transparency and speed to borrowers. After working alongside Gardner for more than two years, Den Herder split off from Vellum to found Ardley, an enterprise-level mortgage intelligence and automation platform for lenders. The Fantastic Four attempt to break the mortgage model as we know it, revealing what needs to change to make mortgages better for all. Hear the biggest threat to new technologies in the housing industry, how mortgage companies actually win customers, why nobody can build a digital mortgage, how to crack the decades of systems built around the current mortgage model, and whether you should trust an AI appraiser. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. 

Villa CEO Sean Roberts joins Housing Insiders to share the latest & greatest from the world of offsite construction as it relates to ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units). From design to doorbell, Villa's ADUs offer a turnkey solution for primary homes, multifamily developments, and neighborhoods. Hear the most common use cases for ADUs, the pros & cons of offsite construction & industrialized construction, whether panelized construction or volumetric construction has the most potential in housing, what the U.S. home construction industry can learn from the auto industry and homebuilding in other countries, and why we might be giving homebuyers too much choice with home designs. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform.  This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards  

Jeremy Potter picks up the solo hosting duties in this Bonus Episode of Housing Insiders live from Up For Growth's Michigan Regional Pro-Housing Policy Forum in downtown Detroit. The conference convenes leaders from government, business, finance, and advocacy to cut through political gridlock, harness bipartisan federal momentum, and deliver bold, practical solutions that match homes to the needs of Michigan's people, unlocking housing abundance and economic vitality statewide. How can we take lessons learned from Michigan to create more attainable & affordable housing across the country? Learn how we can get everyone well-housed from Mike Wilkerson, David Williams, Jared Fleisher, Shannon Morgan, Deputy Mayor Khalfani Stephens, Mark Vanderpool, Mayor Andy Schor, Hunter Kurtz, and John LoPorto. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform.  This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Author & Nonprofit Executive Diana Lind joins Housing Insiders to talk about her journey from architecture and design writer to housing policy expert. Diana is the Philadelphia Program Officer of the Asset Funders Network and the founder and author of The New Urban Order Substack. Her most recent book is Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing (2020). On the show, Diana unpacks how our housing ideals shifted from communal and multi-generational living to today's obsession with single-family homes—and why walkable neighborhoods and flexible options remain so scarce despite high demand. Take a listen to Diana's sharp insights into what's broken, what's evolving, and what the next era of American housing might look like. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

FirstHome IQ Co-Founder & Executive Director Kristin Messerli joins Housing Insiders to reveal the surprising stats & trends from the 2025 NextGen Homebuyer Report. The report covers Millennial and Gen Z homebuying trends, tying to Kristin's mission of delivering homeowner education before the age of 25. Hear why Millennials and Gen Zers are less trusting of professionals in the housing industry, how we can reduce "overwhelm" for the next generation of homebuyers, why homebuying is actually more emotional than financial, and whether people are still saving up to buy their first home.  Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Housing Innovation Alliance President Dennis Steigerwalt joins Housing Insiders to talk about the work of his "crowd-accelerated innovation platform" to identify success stories in the market and bring together financiers and builders to scale innovation. From the Picket Fence Concept Home in Pittsburgh, PA to localized microfactories, Steigerwalt talks about the green shoots of innovation springing up across the housing landscape. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

Welcome to Season 2 of Housing Insiders, where we'll be bringing you more of the conversations you won't hear anywhere else – about how to make housing more innovative, affordable and accessible. Kicking us off this season is Jason Riveiro, Senior Advisor to the CEO of NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals). We talk about the critical role Hispanic households play in driving homeownership growth in the United States, the challenges faced by Latino buyers, builders, and entrepreneurs, and how to reach potential homeowners in the Hispanic community. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards

 On this "Value Meal" episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy take a bite out of all the latest housing headlines. On the menu: the latest Bilt funding round and how it skyrocketed the platform's valuation, what the proposed ADU bill on Capitol Hill could mean for homeowners & real estate professionals, the latest tweetstorm from FHFA Director Bill Pulte, whether VantageScore will actually work in the housing industry, and the outlook for crypto in housing. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers the smart, candid conversations you won't hear anywhere else - plus practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This podcast is brought to you by Bilt Rewards  

Kenon Chen, Clear Capital's EVP of Strategy and Growth, joins the show for a round-robin discussion of the housing headlines, including FHFA Director Bill Pulte's surprise announcement that Fannie and Freddie would now accept VantageScore for mortgage underwriting. It's a big swing for the fences, but will it help more people qualify to be homeowners? Jonathan remains dubious, stating, "We won't see any big swings be successful until we break the monopoly of the Fannie and Freddie world." The trio discuss other ways the status quo is being disrupted, including Clear Capital's use of AI for appraisals - and appraisal waivers - to make the home-closing process cheaper and faster. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers the smart, candid conversations you won't hear anywhere else - plus practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This episode is brought to you by Saul Ewing. Consumer financial services companies face a constant onslaught of litigation and risk arising from a multitude of federal and state consumer protection laws. They also contend with enforcement actions from federal and state regulators and agencies. Navigating these obstacles while managing legal costs in today's crowded and shifting market presents unique challenges for these institutions. Attorneys in Saul Ewing's Consumer Financial Services Litigation Practice are sensitive to these challenges  and provide their clients with practical, industry-specific advice and counsel. To learn more, go to Saul.com/Capabilities

Saul Ewing Partners Trip Riley & Jason McElroy are the perfect guests to shed light on the current regulatory ambiguity in the housing and mortgage market. Their expertise spans mortgage origination and servicing, regulatory counseling, compliance auditing, and litigation defense. On this episode, Riley and McElroy emphasize the challenges posed by the federal government stepping back, with states filling the void and creating a patchwork of rules that may complicate compliance for national lenders and servicers. Tune in for a nuanced look at the complex, shifting terrain of mortgage regulation, with practical advice for industry participants: focus on compliance with current rules, engage proactively with state regulators, and advocate for clear, consistent federal standards.  Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers the smart, candid conversations you won't hear anywhere else - plus practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This episode is brought to you by Saul Ewing. Consumer financial services companies face a constant onslaught of litigation and risk arising from a multitude of federal and state consumer protection laws. They also contend with enforcement actions from federal and state regulators and agencies. Navigating these obstacles while managing legal costs in today's crowded and shifting market presents unique challenges for these institutions. Attorneys in Saul Ewing's Consumer Financial Services Litigation Practice are sensitive to these challenges  and provide their clients with practical, industry-specific advice and counsel. To learn more, go to Saul.com/Capabilities

Former Rocket Mortgage CEO Bob Walters spent 28 years transforming the company from a small regional brokerage into the country's largest mortgage lender. Walters joins Housing Insiders to share what he learned along the way from Rocket Founder Dan Gilbert and how their work simplifying and democratizing complex lending processes made Rocket a leader in digital mortgage solutions. On this episode, Walters talks about the next frontier in digital lending, sharing why he believes the mortgage industry is an ideal candidate for AI disruption, and warning that companies not using it "at scale and deeply" will be "smoked by those who do." Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers the smart, candid conversations you won't hear anywhere else - plus practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This episode is brought to you by Saul Ewing

Up for Growth is a national, cross-sector member network committed to solving the housing shortage and affordability crisis through data-driven research and evidence-based policy.  Founder & CEO Mike Kingsella joins Housing Insiders to talk why some cities grow and others struggle, whether the NIMBYs or YIMBYs have it right, and what he wants Congress to do to solve the housing shortage. Whether you're a housing professional or simply care about the future of where we live, Housing Insiders delivers the smart, candid conversations you won't hear anywhere else - plus practical ideas for shaping a more accessible, resilient housing ecosystem. Don't miss this episode, and subscribe for more expert insights and actionable solutions. Email Podcast@TheHousingInsiders.com with any questions or comments and Subscribe to Housing Insiders on your favorite podcast platform. This episode is brought to you by Saul Ewing. Further reading: Missed Opportunities: Assessing and Leveraging Requirements, Incentives & Tradeoffs in Affordable Housing Development