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TH E M R EP O RT | 11 TAKE 5 MDWELL adequate controls for quality and compliance. While the benefits of technology have outweighed the negatives, too many companies/people rely heavily on technology, and that has hampered outside-the-box thinking. We as an industry need to be able to look at the entire picture. That includes considering system output and other variables that cannot be measured by technology to create processes and decisions. Again, it has hampered good old-fashioned customer service. Along with technology providing access to keep customers up-to-date, customers want the live voice; they want to know we care. M // How do you foresee technology being used in the mortgage space moving forward? LINDBLOM // I foresee more advances in technology being used to streamline our processes, allowing for more data exchange versus paper shuffling. It is very cumbersome for our customers to have to print, scan, fax, etc. their pay stubs, W-2s, bank statements, letters of explanation, etc., and we as an industry need to allow the electronic exchange of this data to become the norm, not the exception. M // What were some of the challenges you faced during your career in the mortgage industry? How did you overcome them? LINDBLOM // The mortgage indus- try has been very good to me, but there have been obstacles. Over the years, women have been channeled into operations and servicing. And while the women I know in operations and servicing are excellent in their positions, when we see corporate roles assigned by gender, we should be question- ing why that happens. Women have much to offer across other industry specialties. I learned to speak up and have my voice heard. I learned to hire and promote people around me who are much smarter than I am, and then continue to support them, respect them, elevate them, and showcase their successes. M // What advice would you give to aspiring female professionals? LINDBLOM // Speak up, while also listening and learning from everyone. Mutual respect is key. Don't dismiss ideas because the person giving them does not have a title or you view them as com- petition. We need to support each other and learn from each other every day. It's a team effort and too many people forget that and instead focus on promoting them- selves. I have had the pleasure of having many female and male mentors and am truly blessed to continue to have them in my life. Get involved with industry movements such as mPower and NEXT mortgage events. Be heard and listen. The Best Markets to Raise a Family There's a lot for homebuyers to consider when it comes time to put down roots. A new study surveys the factors in play, from affordability to safety and access to education. A lot goes into where families decide to live. WalletHub recently surveyed 182 U.S. cities to determine which markets offered homebuyers the best mix of affordabil- ity, education, and safety for their families. Several midwestern markets dominated when it came to afford- ability, with Overland Park, Kansas, taking the top spot. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Wadison, Wisconsin, followed. Miami occu- pied the bottom rung of the list, with Hialeha, Florida, and Santa Ana, California, also earning low marks for affordability. Scottsdale, Arizona, featured the highest median family sal- ary, according to the study, followed by Austin; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Bridgeport, Connecticut, had the lowest median family salary, followed by New York, Miami, and Newark, New Jersey. Source: Wallet Hub, "2019's Best, Worst Places to Raise a Family" Ten Best Markets to Raise a Family 1. Overland Park, Kansas 2. Fremont, California 3. Irvine, California 4. Plano, Texas 5. South Burlington, Vermont 6. Bismark, North Dakota 7. Gilbert, Arizona 8. Fargo, North Dakota 9. Scottsdale, Arizona 10. Boise, Idaho Ten Worst Markets to Raise a Family 1. Detroit, Michigan 2. Newark, New Jersey 3. Cleveland, Ohio 4. Memphis, Tennessee 5. Shreveport, Louisiana 6. Wilmington, Delaware 7. San Bernardino, California 8. Hialeah, Florida 9. Baltimore, Maryland 10. Augusta, Georgia "I make it a point to ask the staff on the front line what we can do better. They are in the trenches day to day and they have incredible ideas. With that engagement, you become a stronger team and a stronger company."