Beyond the Buildings

Latest Episodes:

How to Solve the U.S. Affordable Housing Crisis Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

Affordability remains a persistent challenge in the U.S. housing market. With increasing concerns over housing costs, particularly post-pandemic, the affordability crisis has grown to affect millions of households across the country.

With nearly one-third of American households now considered cost burdened, the crisis has reached national prominence, even making its way into recent presidential addresses.

In this episode of Core Conversations, CoreLogic Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Industry Relations, Pete Carroll discusses key factors behind this, including income inequality, the undersupply of housing, and outdated zoning laws.

Carroll also touches on potential solutions like light-touch density, alternative housing types like townhomes and tiny homes, and the role of government land and subsidies in addressing the crisis.

Whether you’re a homebuyer, policymaker, or industry professional, this episode unpacks the realities behind America's housing affordability crisis and discusses what it will take to find lasting solutions.

In This Episode:

2:18 – What exactly is the definition of “affordability” and how big of an issue is it across the U.S.?

5:06 – Do certain areas of the country or particular populations have a more pronounced affordability problem?

6:26 – How did we get into this affordability crisis?

10:13 – Are homebuyers even looking for single-family homes? Are starter homes at the crux of the affordability issue?

11:28 – What are the opportunities to lessen the burden of homeownership?

14:41 – Erika Stanley does the numbers in the housing market in The Sip.

16:27 – How does zoning affect affordability?

20:27 – How do building codes affect affordability?

23:31 – Erika Stanley reviews natural catastrophes and extreme weather events across the world.

24:08 – What are the first steps to “curing” the affordability crisis in the U.S.?

Up Next: What Is the Affordable Housing Crisis?

Links:

Some Insurers Banned AI — Will Insurtech Bring It Back? Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

Insurance is a topic of perennial interest, but it is not often discussed for furthering cutting-edge technologies like generative AI and machine learning. However, Insurtech, with its ability to redefine business models and leverage cutting-edge technologies, has left an indelible mark on the insurance industry landscape.

Whether it’s a homeowner navigating insurance policies or an industry professional charting the course for future business growth, Insurtech’s broad reach has enabled companies to take on new types of risks to reshape risk management strategies in the face of evolving climate risk and changing regulations.

In this episode of Core Conversations, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with InsTech CEO Matthew Grant. The two unpack just how far the industry has come and how far things still need to go as bleeding-edge technologies come to the forefront of the international conversation and stand to bridge the gap between this traditional industry and the evolution of consumer expectations.

In This Episode:

3:13 – How insurance won out over technological innovations, leaving homeowners to purchase policies in a traditional manner.

4:22 – So why did technology revolutionize the way insurers underwrite policies?

7:22 – As data leads to increased visibility for risk, how does that affect insurers ability to offer coverage?

8:40 – How tech tools put the power in the hands of a policyholder to speed up the claims process.

10:17 – Where does AI have the most potential to expedite the claims process?

12:52 – Erika Stanley goes over the numbers in the housing market with The Sip.

13:55 – Will generative AI and algorithmic underwriting define the future of insurance decisions?

16:05 – Why has reinsurance been so quick to adopt new technology?

18:43 – Erika Stanley talks about what is happening in the world of natural disasters.

20:21 – Is the Insurtech revolution over, or is it only beginning?

Links:

Up Next: How Will Property Data Help Manage the California Insurance Crisis?

Find full episodes with all our guests in our podcast archive here: https://clgx.co/3HFslXD

How Could Gig Work and Automation Lead to More Mortgage Fraud? Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Instances of mortgage fraud have remained relatively stable in recent years. In the second quarter of 2023, CoreLogic estimates that 1 in 134 applications contained fraud, up from 1 in 131 during the same period in 2022. But that doesn’t mean that lenders shouldn’t be on the lookout for warning signs.

In the 2023 Mortgage Fraud Report, researchers found that suspected occupancy loans have nearly tripled since 2020. This type of fraud, which is difficult to spot during origination, typically occurs when someone identifies an investment property as a primary residence to obtain more favorable rates. Not only is this subcategory of fraud requiring more attention, but a changing economy and the increase in automation is bringing unique challenges to the industry.

In this episode, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with Bridget Berg, a senior leader in loan solutions at CoreLogic, to talk about who ends up paying when someone defaults on a loan and how automation may open the door for increased fraud.

In This Episode:

0:53 – Who ends up paying when someone default on a loan that has fraud and what happens to lenders that have to buy back loans?

4:10 – Does the normalization of automated underwriting have the potential to lead to more mortgage fraud?

6:30 – Are cash-based borrowers without traditional credit histories turning mortgage fraud more of a concern?

9:07 – Erika Stanley gives an overview of natural disaster headlines from CoreLogic's Hazard HQ Command Central.

10:58 – What does the future of fraud risk look like.

Links:

Up Next: HELOC Loans May Be the Next Threat for Mortgage Fraud

Find full episodes with all our guests in our podcast archive here: https://clgx.co/3zqhBZt

Will Scorching Ocean Temps or El Niño Define Hurricane Season? Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

The 2023 hurricane season has so far been a wild ride — but that shouldn't be a surprise. With the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) swinging into an El Niño pattern and reports of triple-digit ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, June through November was bound to bring some noteworthy activity, and that pattern could continue.

But what does the combination of El Niño — which is known to dampen hurricane activity — and record-breaking sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic have to do with an active 2023 hurricane season? Well, a lot.

The influence of these weather phenomena is readily apparent from the activity in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of August. From Hurricane Idalia, which brought considerable damage to the Florida coast, to Hurricane Franklin, which soaked Hispaniola and spun a little too close for comfort off the coast of Bermuda, the 2023 hurricane season is peaking. Not to mention that the season started off with the simultaneous appearance of Hurricanes Bret and Cindy.

In this episode, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down again with CoreLogic Director of Catastrophe Response Jon Schneyer to talk about the science behind the interaction between ENSO and sea surface temperatures and how knowing a little science can help with seasonal hurricane predictions.

In This Episode:

2:20 – What is El Niño and what does it mean as we shift from La Niña to El Niño conditions?

3:50 – Are the patterns we are seeing this year abnormal?

6:42 – Erika Stanley goes over the numbers in the property market.

7:53 – How do ocean patterns affect hurricane activity?

12:03 – Are we on track to fulfill NOAA's predictions of an above-average hurricane season in 2023?

13:51 – Update on the 2023 hurricane season.

Links:

CoreLogic monthly economic reports

Weather response and analysis by Jon Schneyer

Up Next: Can Wildfire Mitigation Stop the California Insurer Exodus?

Find full episodes with all our guests in our podcast archive here: https://clgx.co/3zqhBZt

What is the Future of Mortgage Interest Rates in the Current Real Estate Market? Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

When it comes to financing a home in the current real estate market, the interest rate on a loan is of chief concern for buyers. That has resulted in a growing interest in rate locks from buyers, sellers, builders and lenders.

In fact, rate locks as a negotiation technique have bubbled up to the surface as another tactic for lenders looking to secure loans in the current economy.

In Part 2 of this episode, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith continues the conversation with CoreLogic Principal Economist Molly Boesel to discuss what rate locks are, why they are trending in the housing market and what that may mean for lenders looking to retain or gain new business.

In This Episode:

1:31 – By how much can an extra payment lower the total cost of a mortgage?
5:55 – Are people starting to come back to the market, or are they still locked into their homes due to mortgage rates?
7:27 – Are first-time homebuyers the ones who will begin to break the cycle?
9:36 – Erika Stanley gives us insight into what is happening globally with natural disasters.
11:00 – What is the forecast for mortgage interest rates? How will inflation affect that?

Links: 2023 Hurricane Risk Report

Up Next: Are Rate Locks the Negotiation Key for Lenders to Secure Loans in this Economy?

Find full episodes with all our guests in our podcast archive here: https://clgx.co/3zqhBZt

Know Your Past, Protect Your Future Aug 10, 2022

Show notes

Insurance — it is an essential financial resource that homeowners and businesses rely upon to navigate the uncertainty that comes with disasters big and small. While most people know how critical carrying insurance can be when faced with a disaster, few have a full grasp of the different types of insurance, why policies are structured in certain ways and how the ecosystem of insurance providers works together. But there is a reason for all these choices.

In this episode, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with the President of CoreLogic's Protect Division, Garret Gray to discuss the past, present and future state of hazard insurance as well as explore how technology will help this industry evolve into a more streamlined ecosystem

You want that luxe life? You’ll pay the price. Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

The location, design and architecture of a luxury home can grab the imagination and lead to fantasies about jet setting to the French Riviera or vacationing in an exclusive Asian metropolis. However, the luxury real estate market has so much more nuance in terms of location, price point and even buyer demographic than a daydream could ever convey.

In this episode, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with CoreLogic Deputy Chief Economist Selma Hepp to discuss the luxury real estate market both in the U.S. and abroad, as well as dive into the trends driving the sales of these chic abodes.

How Do You Solve Property Data's Oldest and Biggest Challenge? Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Real properties have a jumble of identifiers rather than a single standardized number that clearly defines each piece of property. Often, these overlapping and incomplete data sets of property information can result in a mess that takes hours to unravel before the property data is clean enough to use. This applies to if data is being used for understanding property vulnerability, to a natural hazard, how close it is to a power line, to a home or complying with regulations to build a pipeline.

In this episode, host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with Sachin Rajpal, head of enterprise data at CoreLogic, about this issue and the impactful ways that CoreLogic is solving it.

What's in a Loss Estimate? Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

At CoreLogic, one of the areas we keep close tabs on is how weather and climate affect property as this could have some surprising downstream effects. The CoreLogic Hazard HQ team keeps a close eye on the state of weather covering catastrophes in the US and around the world.

Host Maiclaire Bolton Smith sits down with David Smith, Senior Leader of Science and Analytics to answer some questions about what is a loss estimate? What exactly are we estimating? Why are reconstruction costs different from actual losses?

How Is New Technology Revolutionizing the Homebuying Experience? May 19, 2021

Show notes

According to a survey conducted by CoreLogic in 2021, nearly 80% of people looking to buy homes agreed that the homebuying process was very stressful. 58% noted that the pandemic has made the homebuying process much more difficult. And despite the digital world we live in, the process can still be cumbersome.

Matt Fagioli, owner and founder of BKG Brokerage Atlanta and broker advisor to CoreLogic, sits down with host Maiclaire Bolton Smith to talk about a new AI-enabled technology revolutionizing the homebuying experience: OneHome.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

In This Episode:

In This Episode:

In This Episode:

In This Episode:

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected