Last October, an in-depth look at how Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Sandra Thompson planned to lead the agency was the feature story for the magazine. Her leadership captured the industry’s attention for many reasons, one of those being the fact that the director leaving office, Mark Calabria, was looking at ways to bring the GSEs out of conservatorship.

Thompson had no plans of continuing that conversation. Instead, that same month, Thompson announced something else that changed the game for the housing industry — she announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would begin permanently accepting desktop appraisals for conventional loans.

The news generated mixed opinions. While some claimed that the move was a key component in creating a digital mortgage experience, appraisers, who would be using the new tool, weren’t as excited about the new process. Starting on page 36, you can hear from guest author Amanda Hill, who is head of mortgage solutions at Reggora, as she discusses how key stakeholders in the desktop appraisal space are navigating the shift.

Lyle Radke —Fannie Mae senior director of collateral policy — is quoted in the piece asking, “How do you manage the risk of not having appraiser capacity when you need it?” His answer: “You’ve got to find ways to make your appraisers either more efficient or dedicate them to the more pressing problems.”

Also featured in this issue is HousingWire’s second class of Housing Finance Leaders. Spotlighting top executives who are driving companies forward, this class once again features the leaders who are making sure their companies are maximizing today’s fast-paced market.