Credit Matrix Reloaded: FICO, Vantage, and the Prepayment Impact

Kirill Krylov and Steven Scheerer discuss a more cautious near-term outlook for MBS as valuations remain tight and supply is set to increase against a backdrop of uneven demand. They explore how GSE buying behavior is evolving from a constant bid to a more conditional, price-sensitive backstop that stabilizes spreads rather than compresses them. The episode also examines the rollout of VantageScore alongside traditional Fair Isaac Corporation models, and how increased borrower optionality could reshape prepayment behavior and reduce call protection in legacy low-FICO pools.