This week, Rob and Rich are joined by none other than Nikki Bialka—an officially unofficial recurring guest and fan favorite from her last blockbuster appearance. Nikki leads affordable and CRA lending efforts at Fifth Third Bank, where she navigates the ever-shifting terrain of homeownership access with smarts, clarity, and just enough sass to make policy talk feel like a happy hour debate. After her last visit lit up our inboxes with praise, we knew we had to lock her down long-term, and the 9-year, $171 million deal basically wrote itself.
Fresh from the latest MBA Affordable Homeownership Advisory Council meeting, Nikki brings sharp insight into the industry’s biggest challenges, from affordability fatigue to the ripple effects of the VantageScore shakeup. We dig into how lenders can keep serving borrowers when program rules feel like a game of Whac-A-Mole, and whether positive rental history might finally get the credit it deserves. Expect thoughtful takes, some laughs, and a very classy upgrade to our usual chaos.
