It was a pleasure seeing so many of our colleagues at the MBA Conference in New Orleans, LA at the end of May.  The event not only provided valuable insight, but also led to so many great conversations about key themes that continue to shape our industry. 

I wanted to take a moment to recap some of the themes from these discussions and share some best practices in navigating these challenges: 

1. Inspection Services - Buy vs. Build: It’s irrefutable – inspection services are a must.  How we complete loan inspection services can vary based off of portfolio volume, density and other factors.  Purchasing these services from a specialized provider allows rapid mobilization, direct access to subject matter expertise, limited risk, and immediate access to cost savings.
   
   
2. Navigating Severe Weather Impacts: With the increased frequency and severity of severe weather events, property owners and managers are facing greater challenges in securing and maintaining loans due to insurance liability.  The unpredictability of natural disasters makes risk assessment and property valuation more complex – one thing is certain though, it is essential that you have a Disaster Management Plan for your assets, especially when maintaining large portfolios.
    
3. Overcoming Budget Constraints: The economic climate has many organizations feeling the increasing pressure of managing budget constraints which can lead to hiring freezes and / or decreased personnel budgets.  This has heightened the reliance on technology and reinforces the need to align with reliable external partners to manage loan servicing requirements efficiently.