Housing Insiders
Housing Insiders explores the complexities of the housing market, covering policy changes, financial innovations, and pilot projects aimed at making housing more plentiful and affordable. Hosted by Jonathan Lawless and Jeremy Potter, the podcast features interviews with disruptive guests across the housing industry. Topics range from traditional construction to AI, with a focus on actionable insights for improving the housing sector. The show aims to educate listeners on the 'inside baseball' of home building and financing.
Episodes
The Intersection of Capital Markets & Housing: Dynex Capital's Byron Boston & Smriti Popenoe on the Role of REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts)
Dynex Capital Chairman & Co-CEO Byron Boston and Co-CEO & President Smriti Popenoe join Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to chat the intersection of capital markets & housing, and the role of REITs (real estate investment trusts). Dynex Capital proudly leads the way in mortgage real estate investing, turning residential & commercial real estate into powerful drivers of compell
Real Estate Agents Aren't Going Away: eXp Realty's Leo Pareja on the Real Estate Brokerage World
eXp Realty CEO Leo Pareja joins Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to chat why real estate agents aren't going anywhere anytime soon, plus the latest happenings in the real estate brokerage world. eXp Realty is the largest independent real estate brokerage in the world. Hear what's actually happening with pocket listings, how the real estate agent experience is changing with tec
Looking Back at The Year Ahead in Housing: Revisiting Our 2025 Recap & 2026 Predictions for the Housing Industry
We're almost halfway through 2026. What did we get right? What did we get wrong? What would've been impossible for us to predict? What should we be thinking about for the 2nd half of 2026? These are the questions Jeremy answers to start off this special look back at our 2025 recap & 2026 predictions for the housing industry, originally released in early January 2026. Enjoy! Another crazy year, an
Making Modular Housing Actually Work: Cloud Apartments' Apoorva Pasricha on Beating the Odds with Modular Multifamily Development
Cloud Apartments Chief Operating Officer Apoorva Pasricha joins Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to chat using tech, partners, and a smart business model to provide an enduring solution for modular housing. Cloud Apartments reduces the cost of multifamily development through intelligent modular design & delivery. Hear why many modular housing companies fail, where their time &
Baby Bust, Housing Bust: Author & Washington Examiner's Tim Carney on How America Became Family Unfriendly
Author, Washington Examiner Senior Political Columnist, and American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Senior Fellow Tim Carney joins Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to chat the ties between the baby bust & housing crisis in the US. Tim's latest book is Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be. Hear whether the baby bust is a housing issu
As Goes Detroit, So Goes the Nation: Gilbert Family Foundation & Rocket Community Fund's Laura Grannemann on Housing Lessons from the Motor City
Gilbert Family Foundation & Rocket Community Fund Executive Director Laura Grannemann joins Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to discuss housing lessons for the US based on their work in Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF) exists to accelerate a cure for NF1 and grow opportunity and equity in Detroit and our home cities, and the Rocket Community Fund aims to simplify c
Disrupting the Real Estate Agent Segment with AI: Homa's Arman Javaherian on How to Win as a Housing Startup
Homa CEO & Co-Founder Arman Javaherian - a former Senior Director at Zillow - joins Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to discuss disrupting the real estate agent segment with AI. Homa replaces the traditional buyer's agent, combining AI with expert support while returning up to 2% of the purchase price back. They allow you to buy a home without a realtor. Hear why there histori
Bonus Episode: Talking Trump's Executive Orders on Housing with Mindset's Jeb Mason
And just like that, we're back with a Bonus Episode covering more breaking news in housing! In this episode of Housing Insiders, returning guest Jeb Mason of public policy consultancy Mindset joins Jonathan & Jeremy to break down Trump's 2 executive orders related to housing affordability & mortgage credit. Hear what inspired these 2 executive orders in the first place, the impact they'll have on
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: Baker Donelson's Kara Ward on What's Next for Housing Supply
Baker Donelson Shareholder Kara Ward joins Jonathan & Jeremy on this episode of Housing Insiders to discuss the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which the Senate recently passed. Hear the most impactful provisions in the bill, why it's being portrayed as anti-investor, the areas where it could actually hurt housing supply, the potential big wins for modular housing, and what the bill means for zo
Will AI Replace My Job in the Housing Industry? The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis in Housing Finance
Congrats on surviving the AI crisis. In this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy take a stab at AI doomsday from a housing lens, inspired by The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis by Alap Shah & Citrini Research. Hear whether AI will make housing tech & human intelligence worthless, what tasks AI will help us finally get done in housing finance, why we're in one of the most protectionist i
Bonus Episode: Prosperity Now's Chrissi Johnson & Nestment's Niles Lichtenstein On Life after the Starter Home
In this Bonus Episode of Housing Insiders, Jeremy Potter continues the conversation with Prosperity Now's Chrissi Johnson and Nestment's Niles Lichtenstein about the fate of the starter home. The trio's new report, The Starter Home Is Dead. Now What?, is a eulogy to a bygone era of traditional homeownership, but it also offers hope to buyers still trying to get into the market. Whether it's share
Shared Equity Series - Part 2: Homium's Marcus Martin & Crib Equity's Skye Laudari on New Models to Share Home Equity
It's a Housing Insiders month unlike any other. This month, we're sharing a 2-part series on shared equity, featuring models that allow consumers to do something besides just renting or owning a home, but sharing. In Part 2, you'll hear Jonathan & Jeremy interview Homium CEO Marcus Martin and Crib Equity Co-Founder & CEO Skye Laudari. Homium partners with state and local HFAs, municipalities, and
Shared Equity Series - Part 1: Ownify's Frank Rohde & Cedar's Stuart Allan on New Models to Share Home Equity
It's a Housing Insiders month unlike any other. This month, we're sharing a 2-part series on shared equity, featuring models that allow consumers to do something besides just renting or owning a home, but sharing. In Part 1, you'll hear Jonathan & Jeremy introduce the concept & key terminology of shared home equity, followed by interviews with Ownify Founder & CEO Frank Rohde and Cedar Co-Founder
Breaking Ground, Breaking Rules: btcRE's Ryan Gorman on Winning at Redevelopment
Former Coldwell Banker CEO and now btcRE Founder Ryan Gorman spends his time turning stubborn buildings into productive, community‑anchored assets. In this episode of Housing Insiders, Ryan joins Jonathan and Jeremy to talk candidly about what it really takes to make a redevelopment pencil out today: juggling design and finance, deciding whether becoming a developer is still worth it, why it's so
Bonus Episode: The Starter Home Is Dead. Now What? With Nestment's Niles Lichtenstein
Jeremy Potter picks up the solo hosting duties in this Bonus Episode of Housing Insiders live from the 2025 Prosperity Summit. He was on a panel with Niles Lichtenstein, the Co-Founder & CEO of Nestment - the team of first-time homebuying experts. In this session, they tackle the death of the starter home and what first-time homebuyers can actually do to get in the home equity game. Hear the histo
The Year Ahead in Housing: 2025 Recap & 2026 Predictions for the Housing Industry
Another crazy year, another crazy year in the housing industry. In this special episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy look back at how their 2025 housing predictions fared and reveal their housing predictions for 2026. Hear what excites them about innovation in the housing industry, how AI will impact lending this year, the housing policy changes that may or may not finally happen, a ligh
Dear Director Pulte: A Christmas Wish List for the GSEs
It's the most wonderful time of the year, so we naturally had to get something off our chest. In this special episode of Housing Insiders, Jeremy plays solo host and Jonathan plays guest, bringing his Christmas Wish List for FHFA Director Bill Pulte and the GSEs. It's an extra passion-filled episode that reveals Jonathan's biggest wish for 2026, the creation of a GSE-backed construction loan. The
Zoning, GSEs, and the Housing Squeeze: The Bipartisan Policy Center's Dennis Shea
Dennis Shea is the Executive Vice President and Chair of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC). His past work with the Bipartisan Center includes serving as a consultant to the BPC's blue-ribbon Housing Commission and its Senior Health and Housing Task Force. Hear what the government should be focusing on to make housing more affordable, what's h
Thanksgiving Special: A Full Thanksgiving Meal of Housing Topics & Traditions
Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for tuning into Housing Insiders and for making this show so special. In this Thanksgiving Special episode, Jonathan & Jeremy serve up their favorite Thanksgiving meal traditions - from those cheese ball appetizers to the air-fried bird - along with sides of their favorite products & trends they're liking in the industry. After a boozy Friendsgiving, Jonathan usually
Inspector Gadgets? Inspectify's Josh Jensen on Simplifying Home Inspections
Inspectify Co-Founder & CEO Josh Jensen is fed up with the state of property & home inspections. That's why he started his company - a vertically integrated property inspection & underwriting platform. He joins Jonathan Lawless & Jeremy Potter in this fiery episode of Housing Insiders - not Psychology Insiders - to talk the past, present, and future of property & home inspections. Hear who gets ho
Founders in Focus: Vellum Mortgage's Patrick Gardner & Ardley's Nate Den Herder on Building Smarter Lending
Vellum Mortgage Principal Patrick Gardner and Ardley Founder & CEO Nate Den Herder join their buddies Jonathan Lawless and Jeremy Potter for a special in-person, Horse Soldier Bourbon-fueled edition of Housing Insiders. Gardner founded Vellum Mortgage to provide transparency and speed to borrowers. After working alongside Gardner for more than two years, Den Herder split off from Vellum to found
ADUs to the Rescue: Villa's Sean Roberts on Offsite Construction & Industrialized Construction
Villa CEO Sean Roberts joins Housing Insiders to share the latest & greatest from the world of offsite construction as it relates to ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units). From design to doorbell, Villa's ADUs offer a turnkey solution for primary homes, multifamily developments, and neighborhoods. Hear the most common use cases for ADUs, the pros & cons of offsite construction & industrialized construct
Bonus Episode: Housing Lessons Learned from Up For Growth's Michigan Regional Pro-Housing Policy Forum
Jeremy Potter picks up the solo hosting duties in this Bonus Episode of Housing Insiders live from Up For Growth's Michigan Regional Pro-Housing Policy Forum in downtown Detroit. The conference convenes leaders from government, business, finance, and advocacy to cut through political gridlock, harness bipartisan federal momentum, and deliver bold, practical solutions that match homes to the needs
Beyond the Single Family Home: Diana Lind on Rethinking How Americans Live
Author & Nonprofit Executive Diana Lind joins Housing Insiders to talk about her journey from architecture and design writer to housing policy expert. Diana is the Philadelphia Program Officer of the Asset Funders Network and the founder and author of The New Urban Order Substack. Her most recent book is Brave New Home: Our Future in Smarter, Simpler, Happier Housing (2020). On the show, Diana unp
Gen Z Doesn't Believe You: FirstHome IQ's Kristin Messerli on Housing's Trust Problem
FirstHome IQ Co-Founder & Executive Director Kristin Messerli joins Housing Insiders to reveal the surprising stats & trends from the 2025 NextGen Homebuyer Report. The report covers Millennial and Gen Z homebuying trends, tying to Kristin's mission of delivering homeowner education before the age of 25. Hear why Millennials and Gen Zers are less trusting of professionals in the housing industry,
Beyond Blueprints: Turning Housing Ideas Into Action with Housing Innovation Alliance's Dennis Steigerwalt
Housing Innovation Alliance President Dennis Steigerwalt joins Housing Insiders to talk about the work of his "crowd-accelerated innovation platform" to identify success stories in the market and bring together financiers and builders to scale innovation. From the Picket Fence Concept Home in Pittsburgh, PA to localized microfactories, Steigerwalt talks about the green shoots of innovation springi
Hispanic Homeownership: NAHREP's Jason Riveiro on Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities to Reach Latino Buyers
Welcome to Season 2 of Housing Insiders, where we'll be bringing you more of the conversations you won't hear anywhere else – about how to make housing more innovative, affordable and accessible. Kicking us off this season is Jason Riveiro, Senior Advisor to the CEO of NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals). We talk about the critical role Hispanic households play in d
From the Backyard to the Blockchain: This Week in Housing
On this "Value Meal" episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy take a bite out of all the latest housing headlines. On the menu: the latest Bilt funding round and how it skyrocketed the platform's valuation, what the proposed ADU bill on Capitol Hill could mean for homeowners & real estate professionals, the latest tweetstorm from FHFA Director Bill Pulte, whether VantageScore will actua
Swing for the Fences: A Conversation with Clear Capital's Kenon Chen about Disrupting the Status Quo
Kenon Chen, Clear Capital's EVP of Strategy and Growth, joins the show for a round-robin discussion of the housing headlines, including FHFA Director Bill Pulte's surprise announcement that Fannie and Freddie would now accept VantageScore for mortgage underwriting. It's a big swing for the fences, but will it help more people qualify to be homeowners? Jonathan remains dubious, stating, "We won't s
Navigating Turmoil in the Mortgage World: A Conversation with Saul Ewing's Trip Riley & Jason McElroy
Saul Ewing Partners Trip Riley & Jason McElroy are the perfect guests to shed light on the current regulatory ambiguity in the housing and mortgage market. Their expertise spans mortgage origination and servicing, regulatory counseling, compliance auditing, and litigation defense. On this episode, Riley and McElroy emphasize the challenges posed by the federal government stepping back, with states
Get Smoked or Get Smart: Rocket's Bob Walters on AI and the Future of the Mortgage Industry
Former Rocket Mortgage CEO Bob Walters spent 28 years transforming the company from a small regional brokerage into the country's largest mortgage lender. Walters joins Housing Insiders to share what he learned along the way from Rocket Founder Dan Gilbert and how their work simplifying and democratizing complex lending processes made Rocket a leader in digital mortgage solutions. On this episode,
Solving the Housing Shortage with Mike Kingsella, Up for Growth
Up for Growth is a national, cross-sector member network committed to solving the housing shortage and affordability crisis through data-driven research and evidence-based policy. Founder & CEO Mike Kingsella joins Housing Insiders to talk why some cities grow and others struggle, whether the NIMBYs or YIMBYs have it right, and what he wants Congress to do to solve the housing shortage. Whether y
A New National Building Code: The Obvious Answer with Ivan Rupnik, MOD X
Ivan Rupnik is Associate Professor of Architecture at Northeastern University and Founding Partner of MOD X, a research-based advisory he started along with Ryan E. Smith and Tyler Schmetterer that supports the global offsite construction industry. He joins Housing Insiders to talk about building codes: how they work (and in the case of the US, could work a lot better), and how a nationalized appr
The Apartment Equation: Talking Trends, Tech, and Tenants with NAA's Bob Pinnegar
Bob Pinnegar is the President and CEO of the National Apartment Association (NAA), a trade association representing 95,000 members with over 12 million rental units nationwide. Bob joins Housing Insiders to talk about the state of multifamily housing and the complicated factors - from interest rates to tariffs - making the future of the rental market harder to predict than usual. Bob unpacks the c
The Ivory Prize Top 10: A Conversation with Jenna Louie, Ivory Innovations
Drumroll, please! Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer Jenna Louie of Ivory Innovations joins Housing Insiders to announce the Top 10 finalists for its prestigious Ivory Prize, a national award designed to recognize and support innovative and scalable solutions addressing the housing affordability crisis. Competing across the categories of Construction & Design, Finance, and Policy & Regulatory R
AI and the Future of Mortgage Infrastructure: A Conversation with Mike Yu, Vesta
In this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy are joined by Mike Yu to talk the past, present, and future of technology in mortgage lending - and the huge role AI will play in mortgage digitization. Mike is the Co-Founder & CEO of Vesta, a provider of next generation mortgage loan origination software, allowing financial institutions to improve their lending processes with customizable wo
Upheaval at the GSEs: A Conversation with Jim Parrott, Urban Institute
In this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy are joined by Jim Parrott to talk about the latest shakeups at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including the removal of 14 board members and the firing of the CEO of Freddie Mac. With Bill Pulte as the new, self-appointed chairman of the board of both organizations, speculation is rampant about the extent of the further "DOGE treatment" the agenci
Housing Hot Takes
On this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy discuss the latest housing news from Washington, starting with the DOGE staffers at HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and whether or not fears about their access to valuable data are overblown. Next, will the return to office further exacerbate the baby bust? And feedback on the confirmation hearings of Bill Pulte for FHFA (Federal Housin
Understanding RESPA: A Conversation with Attorney Trip Riley
In this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy talk GSEs and the potential impact on mortgage rates should the Trump administration pull Fannie and Freddie out of conservatorship. Next, while the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may be on ice, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) has not gone away. Saul Ewing Partner Trip Riley joins the show to talk about why RESPA
A Chaotic 24 Hours: Federal Funding & HUD
On this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy discuss the confusion that reigned in Washington, DC last week, after the White House memo ordering a freeze on all federal grants and loans seemed to put a myriad of housing programs in jeopardy. According to Jonathan, "If you want to stop federal grants, you have to be a little more thoughtful than just cutting them all immediately." HUD has
Reaching the Unbanked through Fintech: A Conversation with Steve Royster, MoCaFi
In this episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy discuss what the wildfires mean for homeowners insurance nationwide and the long-term impact the wildfires will have on the homebuilding process, including the prognosis for factory-built homes. Next, Steve Royster, Head of Community Banking & Marketing at MoCaFi (Mobility Capital Finance), joins the show to talk about his work reaching and he
The Year Ahead in Housing: 2024 Recap & 2025 Predictions for the Housing Industry
It's a time unlike any other in the housing industry. In this special episode of Housing Insiders, Jonathan & Jeremy review the highlight reel of some of their favorite guests from 2024, discussing insights learned and revealing their big bets for 2025. Hear their positive & negative takes on the housing industry heading into 2025, including what rising insurance and property taxes will mean for h
Investing in AI Housing Startups: A Conversation with Jared Stasik, Detroit Venture Partners (DVP)
Jared Stasik, Partner at Detroit Venture Partners (DVP), joins Housing Insiders to chat a day in the life of funding early-stage tech companies, including housing startups. DVP was founded in 2010 by Dan Gilbert, Quicken Loans/Rocket Mortgage Founder & Chairman and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a vision to grow Detroit's entrepreneurial community. Hear how Jared decides what types of hous
Momentum in Modular: A Conversation with Hugh Frater, Vessel Technologies
Hugh Frater, the former CEO of Fannie Mae (and Jonathan's old boss) joins Housing Insiders to offer his blunt take on solving the housing crisis. According to Frater, "I don't think we should be promoting homeownership per se. I think we should just be finding ways to deliver more housing without regard to whether it's rental or for sale." As Chairman of Vessel Technologies, a developer and manufa
Market Trends: A Conversation with Ivy Zelman
Ivy Zelman is the CEO of Zelman & Associates. When it comes to housing trends, Ivy has developed a reputation for "seeing around corners,'' and her accurate forecasts – including predicting the 2008 housing crash - make her one of the most influential people we know. In this episode, Ivy takes out her crystal ball once again and has some harsh warnings for the industry about the headwinds she sees
The 401(k) for Homeownership: A Conversation with Landy Liu, Foyer
The down payment on a home continues to be unrealistic for many Americans. How can we change that? Landy Liu is the Founder of Foyer, a savings platform for first-time homebuyers. Think of it as the "401(k) for homeownership." Hear him reveal how their savings platform works, the key things to keep in mind as a first-time homebuyer, what the government can do to help first-time homebuyers, how Foy
Rent-to-Own Homes: A Conversation with K.C. Cleary, Pathway Homes
With traditional homeownership more unattainable than ever, aspirational homeowners are exploring 'rent-to-own' options. K.C. Cleary is the Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of Pathway Homes, a real estate company that provides new construction rentals to tenants, with the option to purchase them over time. Cleary explains that renting gives tenants time to build their credit score and save for
Bonus Episode: Dissecting the Candidates' Housing Promises with Jeb Mason, Mindset
The 2024 presidential election is only weeks away, and housing is front and center as a campaign issue like never before, with each candidate promising they have a plan to make housing more plentiful and affordable. To break down what Trump and Harris' campaign promises are all about, we talk to Jeb Mason, a partner at public policy consultancy Mindset, and a housing wonk like us. There are promis
Homebuilding with UNskilled Laborers? A Conversation with Aleks Gampel, Cuby
The homebuilding process is slow and expensive. Jonathan says it's driven by the Three L's: Lumber, Laws, and Labor. Aleks Gampel, Co-Founder of Cuby, is here to help that. Cuby deploys Mobile Micro-Factories (MMFs) globally to solve challenges within the home construction economy and beyond. Aleks, Jonathan, and Jeremy discuss navigating the issues with home construction today, how the MMFs work,
Fractional Home Ownership: A Conversation with Prosperity Now's Marisa Calderon
If home ownership is still a key to wealth generation, how can more Americans get their piece of the pie? Marisa Calderon, the President & CEO of Prosperity Now, joins Jonathan and Jeremy to talk about new approaches to building prosperity, including fractional home ownership and other "on ramps to wealth" through collaborative ownership of different kinds of assets. From co-ownership platform Nes
Breaking Down the NAR Settlement
The recent National Association of Realtors settlement comes at a critical time for the housing industry, as startups continue to try to shake up the status quo and housing affordability remains at crisis levels. In this episode, Jonathan & Jeremy break down the outcome of the settlement and discuss what it means for every person involved in a home sale – from lenders and appraisers, to buyers and
Cracking the Housing Industrial Complex
After Jonathan and Jeremy dissect the housing headlines (spoiler alert: the NAR settlement may not actually bring down costs for buyers and sellers) they vent about the glacial pace at which much-needed reform is happening. "'Work harder and wait longer,' that's the message the housing industrial complex is sending," says Jeremy. Jonathan, himself a veteran of Fannie Mae, says many of the pilot pr
The State of Housing with Odeta Kushi
Welcome to Housing Insiders! In this pilot episode, your co-hosts Jonathan Lawless and Jeremy Potter welcome special guest Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation. Hear an overview of the state of housing affordability today, the cities Millennials and Gen Zers are migrating to, the impact of remote work on housing and office spaces, why the cities are (maybe)
Trailer - Housing Insiders
Welcome to Housing Insiders! Meet your co-hosts, Jonathan Lawless and Jeremy Potter. They're two housing wonks who know just about everyone in the housing industry, from founders and builders to lenders and regulators. The multi-trillion dollar housing market is complicated, and for all the great ideas and innovations, buying a home is not affordable, and everyone knows the rent is still too damn
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