
Coby Hakalir: Credit Scores, chaos and the future of mortgage lending
From Power House by HousingWire
May 28, 2026 · 22 min
About this episode
Coby Hakalir discusses credit reporting and the future of mortgage lending with Zeb Lowe, challenging the current mortgage credit ecosystem.
On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with longtime mortgage executive, consultant and podcast host Coby Hakalir for a candid conversation about one of the housing industry’s most contentious topics: credit reporting, FICO scoring and the future of mortgage regulation. The discussion centers around his viral op-ed challenging the current mortgage credit ecosystem and questioning whether the industry has become too defensive of legacy systems at the expense of competition and innovation. Zeb and Coby unpack rising credit report costs, the role of the FHFA, unintended consequences of regulation and why loan officers need a deeper understanding of the systems shaping borrower outcomes. The conversation also explores misinformation in today’s market, the importance of industry engagement and why difficult cycles often reveal which professionals are truly committed to evolving with the business. At its core, this episode is about challenging assumptions, questioning entrenched systems and asking what a smarter, more competitive mortgage industry could actually look like. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Coby Hakalir's LinkedIn Opinion: FICO, the 3Bs: Fruit…
People in this episode
Host: Zeb Lowe
Guest: Coby Hakalir
Topics covered
- credit reporting
- FICO scoring
- mortgage regulation
- housing industry
- competition
- innovation
Keywords
- credit scores
- mortgage lending
- regulation
- housing market
- loan officers
- industry engagement
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: FHFA
Books & works: Opinion: FICO, the 3Bs: Fruit from a rotten tree. Here’s how we fix It.
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