Christine Chandler: For Servicers, Challenges, Opportunities Abound
(Christine Chandler, by Anneliese Mahoney)
DALLAS–Christine Chandler, 2025 Mortgage Bankers Association Chair-Elect and Chief Credit Officer and Chief Operating Officer at M&T Realty Capital Corp., discussed hot topics in the servicing industry–including natural disasters, insurance costs and policy challenges–during her opening remarks at the MBA’s 2025 Servicing Solutions Conference & Expo.
She began by recognizing the industry’s recent successes. “Just look at what you did during the pandemic,” she said, describing how many people worried the damage could end up being worse than the Great Recession. “But it wasn’t, because you were able to work with borrowers like never before. And thanks to everyone’s efforts in this room, and the countless others across the country, we helped record numbers of people stay in their homes.”
Recent natural disasters, including fires in Los Angeles and hurricanes Milton and Helene, have similarly prompted challenges for the servicing field–but the industry also stepped up to help borrowers.
“We’ll be there through the next crisis when it erupts. It just goes to show, when disaster strikes, the mortgage industry strikes back, and homeowners are stronger because of your work,” Chandler said.
These topics are valuable to highlight, because they show how important good policy and vital tools can be for the servicing industry. The MBA can help on those fronts, Chandler said.
During the pandemic, “we worked with every important federal agency to give you new flexibility and solutions. Whether it was FHA, the VA, USDA or the GSEs, we told them what you needed, and they heard us and helped you with the right policies at the right time.”
Moreover, Chandler pointed to efforts on the standardized disaster response toolkit, helping servicers respond in real time to natural disasters.
“We don’t want you to have to wait for guidance from federal agencies. We want you to be able to act quickly and decisively to help our borrowers,” she noted.
She cited as examples the MBA’s support of the FHA’s new Payment Supplement offering and work to help improve the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program.
“We want to ensure that no matter what kind of loan a borrower gets, you have the same servicing options and loss mitigation tools to help them if they fall behind,” Chandler said.
There are new pressures that continue to affect the industry, too, including the sharply growing cost of home insurance.
“Tackling this issue isn’t easy, especially because of the state-by-state regulatory framework that governs insurance,” Chandler acknowledged. “Rest assured, MBA is well aware of these challenges, and we’re doing everything in our power to assist you.”
She pointed to assistance navigating the landscape in various states as an example, in addition to collaboration with the insurance industry, state MBAs and state lawmakers.
“At the federal level, we can expect conversations about creating a federal backstop to start soon, and MBA will be at the table when they do,” she said.
All eyes are also on the new administration that took office just a few weeks ago. “Our biggest priority is to help increase the housing supply, and I’m pleased to report that our nation’s new leaders broadly agree,” Chandler said.
Chandler listed MBA’s actions in that arena, including talks with stakeholders about making housing a key part of the tax reform plans, and pushing to extend or expand the current provisions that benefit homeowners.
“As many of you know, we’ve spent the past five years building support for the Neighborhood Homes and Investment Act,” she highlighted. “It would create a groundbreaking new tax credit for affordable home construction in communities that need it most.”
And, the question of whether the GSEs may be released from conservatorship remains apt; Chandler reported that MBA is having conversations with White House officials and leaders in Congress, telling them how important it is to “do this carefully and deliberately.”
“It’s time to begin the process of exiting, but we need to get it done right, not fast,” Chandler said. “We’re telling policymakers that they can do this without disrupting the market, and they also can do this while preserving access to affordable housing.”
While there’s plenty for servicers–and all others in the industry–to be thinking about in the present, MBA is here, Chandler said.
“We’re here to help you overcome challenges and seize opportunities,” she said. “We’ve got a lot to do in the days ahead, but we have a track record of success, and so do you.”
