How ‘bout this one: A firefighter went to the college graduation ceremony for a baby he helped deliver many years ago. Loan originators can be involved in many life events of their clients as well, as the months and years roll on, something that a software program can’t do. They’re also in a great position to explain the nuances of the summer home buying season to clients. They know that rates aren’t the only thing making homes unaffordable. The median home price rose from $274,900 in Q4 2019 to $414,900 in Q4 2025, according to the National Association of Realtors. That has affected affordability much more than the rise in mortgage rates (the average 30-year fixed rate increased from 3.90 percent at the end of 2019 to 6-something percent today, let’s say about 6.16 percent because I saw that number somewhere). If we apply those rates on top of the median home prices in question and assume a 20 percent down payment, we get monthly principal and interest payments of $1,037 at 3.90 percent and $1,341 at 6.16 percent if the home costs $274,900. With a median home price of $414,900, those monthly payments go to $1,566 at 3.90 percent and $2,024 at 6.16 percent. Higher prices are impacting affordability significantly more than higher rates. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by NFTYDoor, the white-label HELOC platform for banks, credit unions, and brokers. Close in zero days with warehouse funding. Power your home equity lending with NFTYDoor. Today’s features an interview with NEO Home Loans Ryan Grant on the evolution of interactions between mortgage professionals and borrowers, and how companies can best provide support to origination staff.)