Insider Insight: What’s Next For Housing Innovation And Industry Challenges

Innovation in housing often comes down to one thing: execution. While companies continue to invest in technology, automation and consumer tools, realizing the full value of those investments remains a challenge.

In honor of the 2025 nomination period for HousingWire Insiders, we asked past honorees where they see the most opportunity for improvement in the housing ecosystem over the next year — and what challenges they believe are holding the industry back. Their answers point to a common theme: meaningful progress will require smarter adoption of technology, deeper consumer transparency, and a willingness to rethink long-standing operational models.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the mortgage or real estate industry right now — and how are you seeing companies respond?

“Adoption of any innovation. Lenders invest in game changing technology where the math shows they should expect a certain ROI. Realized ROI is a lot lower when adoption is not either mandated or automated.  Mandating change is hard and painful. Automating it is game changing. Finding ways to make your new AI investment, or any investment, an organic part of the process is a huge step towards realizing the ROI you calculated in your business case.”– Craig Rebmann, Product Evangelist at Dark Matter

Where do you see the most opportunity for innovation or improvement in the housing ecosystem over the next year? 

“AI will continue to be ‘fine tuned’ and allow properly structured companies a chance to lower production costs. If that cost reduction is passed onto the consumer by way of lower margins and interest rates – a housing industry recovery can be sustained.“ – Peter Alvarez, Chief Operations Officer at The Money Store

“When it comes to innovation and improvement in the housing ecosystem, I believe that creating more transparency in terms of financial education to the homeowners we all serve is key to relationship building and having customers for life. Servicing is a commitment between the borrower and the servicer, and having tools like financial literacy and understanding at the self-service level would be a huge win for all when wanting to learn more about their escrow analysis, loan transfers, etc.“ – Rachel Crooks, Customer Engagement Consultant at Sagent

What’s one emerging trend in mortgage or real estate that you think professionals should be paying closer attention to?

“The use of AI in the mortgage industry. Many people are relying on ChatGPT — which is great and has its advantages —but I’m fortunate enough to work for a tech company and lender that offers the only AI that gives warranted answers you can trust.” – Mae Mackey, Sr. Vice President – Production Management at Sun West Mortgage Company

Nominations for the 2025 HousingWire Insiders are open through June 30, 2025. Click here to nominate.