The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA), the reverse mortgage industry’s leading trade association, is preparing to host its 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo on Sept. 24-26 in San Diego.
The event is typically the largest, most expansive meeting for a wide variety of reverse mortgage professionals. It also typically features federal housing officials to offer updates on the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program.
To learn more about this year’s programming and what is on deck for the event at the Hard Rock Hotel, HousingWire’s Reverse Mortgage Daily (RMD) sat down with NRMLA President Steve Irwin.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Chris Clow/HousingWire: What can you tell me about the approach to planning this year? You’re going with a West Coast location, whereas recent years have had more centrally placed events within the continental U.S.
Steve Irwin: We had to move the event due to certain calendar conflicts and scheduling issues, which also required us to look at an earlier time of year. We try and mix it up as much as possible, and we were more centrally located in the country last year. This year, our team visited the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, and the weather in late September is typically really favorable, which is ideal for networking and getting people together.
We took into account where our members are, our calendar, the weather and what else is happening around this time. Ultimately, we landed on San Diego, and we’re really excited about it. So far, we have just over 350 registrants from 134 companies. Logistically, it seems like people aren’t having trouble getting there, and we’re looking forward to a strong few days in California.
Clow: When it comes to planning, is there a particular theme or topic you felt was important for the programming to address this year to provide value for attendees?
Irwin: With two and a half days to explore and discuss various topics, it became clear through our discussions with members and leadership that HECM for Purchase was a key area we wanted to revisit and dive deeper into. Many of our members have been finding success with HECM for Purchase, and we’ll also look at changes in rules and regulations — how do those changes impact the purchase landscape, and what attendees can take away in terms of insights and tips.
Clow: What other topics would you say have importance for members?
Irwin: Another area of focus has been the appraisal process. We’ve heard from our members about the need for better understanding in this area, so I’m looking forward to that discussion with appraisal management companies.
Additionally, loan officers have lots of questions about processing, underwriting, operations and servicing, which is a continual theme. We’ve decided to have an open dialogue, highlighting the most frequently asked questions to better educate originators on what happens once an application is handed off.
We’ve got a full agenda covering the entire ecosystem of reverse mortgage lending, but I really want to highlight the HECM for Purchase and underwriting operations sessions.
Clow: Once again, federal housing leaders will be in attendance at the event with Julia Gordon providing a keynote speech, and there’s a little more intensity on anything government related this year. Will these officials address the political climate at all, or will their sessions remain focused on HECM policy?
Irwin: I don’t expect Commissioner Gordon to spend too much time focusing on the election, nor do I think Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) [David] Berenbaum will dwell on the politics of it all. However, I do know that Commissioner Gordon is always forward looking. There are certainly moving parts at HUD and FHA regarding the HECM program, so I’m anticipating forward-looking conversations. I expect to hear both from the commissioner and the DAS about things they have in motion related to the program.
Clow: NRMLA also conducts a business meeting for its own affairs during the event. Is there anything attendees should keep in mind about that this year?
Irwin: First of all, we’ve moved it up the schedule a bit. Typically, we would close out with our business meeting, but this year we’re embedding it into the first afternoon. During that time, attendees will vote on a new slate of directors for the board, and we’re excited about both the returning directors and the new nominees being presented to the membership.
Also, a couple of personalities in the reverse mortgage space will be recognized with distinguished service awards, which I hope our attendees will be present for. The chair of our executive committee, Joe DeMarkey, will be presenting one award, and the chair of our board, Mike Kent, will present another. But I’m not telling you who the recipients are.
Clow: Is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you think our industry audience should keep in mind?
Irwin: We are offering a program that is not only informative and stimulating but also encourages conversation and discussion. My hope is that these discussions won’t necessarily resolve themselves during the event but will carry us into the first few quarters of 2025. As we explore different strategic imperatives for the association, we’re looking to gather feedback from these sessions and have face-to-face conversations about the direction our membership wants to take the association.
HousingWire/RMD will be in attendance at NRMLA Annual in San Diego. If you see us, come up and say hello!