TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
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12 | M R EP O RT COVER FEATURE T he mortgage and housing industries are always evolving—developing advanced technology, discovering new ways to engage with consumers, adapting to shifts in the economy. Change is inevi- table, and it happens every year and in every industry. However, those working in residential lend- ing and housing faced unprec- edented challenges in 2020. When the World Health Organization officially categorized COVID-19 as a pandemic back in March, it seemed as if the entire world paused. Businesses closed their doors—some temporarily and some permanently—as stay-at- home orders took place across the country. Almost every aspect of work and life seemed to change overnight. Somehow, the housing industry became acclimated to the new reality COVID-19 had created. More than that, it became stron - ger. Housing professionals have adapted to working remotely, engaging with consumers online, maximizing technology, and stay- ing in tune with rapidly evolving economic trends. As the year comes to a close, industry leaders reflect on the takeaways of 2020 and look ahead to what challenges may lie ahead in 2021. Going Remote and Staying Engaged O ne of the largest hurdles that housing industry profession- als had to confront this year was how they would continue to work remotely. Keeping up with morale, avoiding burnout, and being flexible with employees' work-from-home environments were vital for industry leaders to transition to remote work as smoothly as possible this year. Suzy Lindblom Suzy Lindblom, COO of Planet Home Lending, says that she has encouraged managers at the company to find ways to The Only Constant Is Change The housing market has remained a bright spot among 2020's many twists and tragedies. From tech and managing capacity to adapting to rapidly shifting borrower needs, mortgage experts break down the key takeaways our industry will carry into the new year. By Cristin Espinosa