HECM World Weekly, EP943: From Debt Relief To Healthy Years, Home Equity Takes On A Bigger Role

This week on HECM World Weekly, we look at how America’s housing wealth is holding firm—but the way homeowners are using it is changing. July’s HECM endorsement volume remained relatively subdued, while Finance of America reported strong year-over-year growth across its retirement solutions business. We also examine Rocket Mortgage’s new campaign positioning home equity as a potential alternative to high-interest credit-card debt. Plus, new Bankrate research raises questions about whether older refinancing borrowers are paying more than they should, home prices continue to rise across most metropolitan markets, and families inheriting homes report growing difficulties retaining valuable low-rate mortgages. Finally, new retirement research reveals that many Americans are more worried about running out of healthy years than running out of money—and what that could mean for the role of housing wealth in retirement planning. In this episode: July’s latest HECM lender results Finance of America’s 21% funded-volume growth Rocket’s push to bring home equity into the mainstream Bankrate’s proposed refinance “seniority tax” The growing divide between local housing markets Mortgage complications within the Great Wealth Transfer Why retirees are rethinking the value of time, health and money For more reverse mortgage news, analysis, research and industry insights, visit HECMWorld.com and subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.