On The Highway

Highway Heroes: Top Producer Interview with Mary Vaca

On this episode of On The Highway, Bridgette Hardonk talks with Mary Vaca, a process-driven loan officer who left corporate tech at 40 and has hit President's Club every year since 2020, including a $16M quarter in a market no one's calling easy. Mary shares the playbooks behind the numbers: how she preps clients for rate dips months out, why she walked away from chasing social media stardom, the listing-agent move that keeps referrals coming back, how she uses AI to handle greedy clients, and the time-blocking system that lets her run a top-producing business while showing up for three kids, CrossFit, and family.

Mortgage Market News: Inflation Surges, Home Sales Edge Higher

Inflation accelerated in April at both the consumer and wholesale levels, complicating the outlook for interest rate cuts, while existing home sales posted a m…Inflation accelerated in April at both the consumer and wholesale levels, complicating the outlook for interest rate cuts, while existing home sales posted a modest increase. The latest data also offers a snapshot of trends in consumer spending and the labor market.

May 2026 MBS Highway Housing Index

The MBS Highway National Housing Index rose 5 points in May 2026, climbing from 42 in April to 47. Buyer activity rebounded sharply from last month’s rate-driven pullback, hitting exactly 50 — the expansion threshold — while price direction continued its slow but steady climb.

Mortgage Market News: Mixed Jobs Data, Home Sales Beat Forecasts

Labor market data sent mixed signals this week, with a strong headline jobs number masking softer details underneath and ADP data revealing a split market. But housing told a different story, with new home sales beating expectations and forecasts pointing to real opportunity for buyers.

April 2026 Realtor.com Housing Report

Scott Brixen breaks down the April 2026 housing inventory numbers from Realtor.com. Active listings crossed a major milestone nationally this spring, but is that the rebound buyers have been waiting for or just seasonal noise? Scott weighs April against last year and pre-pandemic norms, then gets to the real story of where that inventory actually lives.