AMBA Monday Morning News - Week of June 29th, 2026 
Message from the Board
Fellow Alaska mortgage banking professionals,
Welcome to the back half of summer. We are past the solstice now, and even with the long bright evenings still hanging on, you can feel the season settling into its working rhythm. Closings are moving, calendars are full, and most of us are in the busiest stretch of the year. There is a quiet satisfaction in this season, when the groundwork you laid through the dark winter months finally walks through the door as a real family buying a real home.
This was a week with a lot of moving parts, the kind where it can feel like the rules are being rewritten faster than any of us can read them. That is exactly when steady hands matter most. Alaska families are not looking for someone who can recite the headlines back to them. They are looking for someone who can sit across the table, make sense of it, and help them move forward with confidence. That is the work you do, and you do it well.
So take a breath, trust your experience, and keep showing up. Let's finish the summer strong.
Benjamin Reynolds - AMBA President
Thank you to the sponsor of our Monday Morning News
News From Last Week
Fed's Preferred Inflation Gauge Climbs to Highest Level Since 2023
The May Personal Consumption Expenditures price index rose to a 4.1% annual rate, the highest since April 2023, with core PCE at 3.4%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis report released June 25. The increase showed up across several categories, including services, with many economists pointing to the energy spike tied to the Iran conflict as one contributor. The reading reinforces the Fed's more hawkish posture from its June meeting, where officials emphasized a data-dependent approach and left a rate hike on the table rather than the cut markets had earlier expected.
Alaska Impact: Inflation tends to bite harder here, where heating, fuel, and shipping costs run high, tightening what Alaska buyers can afford even before rates enter the conversation.
FHFA Directs Fannie and Freddie to Weigh Crypto as Mortgage Reserves
FHFA Director William Pulte issued a directive on June 25 ordering Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to draft proposals recognizing verified cryptocurrency holdings as qualifying reserve assets, without requiring borrowers to convert to cash. According to the FHFA order, eligible crypto must be held on US-regulated exchanges, and the proposals must address how to manage price volatility. No final guidelines exist yet, and the Enterprises must still develop implementation plans, so this remains a proposal-stage development.
Alaska Impact: If finalized, this could open a path for younger and self-employed Alaska buyers who hold digital assets but show thin traditional reserves, though members should treat it as forthcoming, not active.
AHFC Lands to Housing Catalyst Reaches Application Deadline for Builders
Full applications for Alaska Housing Finance Corporation's Lands to Housing Catalyst were due June 25, capping a program that offers 11 vetted parcels plus targeted grants to builders in the Mat-Su and Fairbanks North Star boroughs. According to AHFC, the agency purchased the land using expiring federal funds to cut the largest barrier to entry, land acquisition cost, with build starts projected as early as summer 2027. CEO Bryan Butcher has framed the state's housing shortage as a present-day constraint on economic growth.
Alaska Impact: New construction in the state's two fastest-growing boroughs means new purchase and construction lending opportunities for AMBA members positioned to finance these projects.
Oil Prices Retreat as Strait of Hormuz Reopens, Easing Rate Pressure
Alaska North Slope crude closed at $86.99 per barrel on June 23 as tankers resumed transit through the Strait of Hormuz under a US-Iran agreement, according to Petroleum News, while West Texas Intermediate fell to around $70, its lowest since March. Economists note the energy pullback eased inflation expectations and helped take some pressure off the 10-year Treasury and, in turn, mortgage rates, though rates also reflect Fed expectations, growth data, and investor demand. Analysts caution that the slide is sentiment-driven and could reverse if the ceasefire falters.
Alaska Impact: This cuts both ways for members. Lower oil prices ease inflation and help rates, but they also pressure Alaska's oil-dependent state budget, which shapes the broader economy your clients live and work in.
Welcome New Members!
AMBA welcomes all Alaska mortgage banking professionals to join our growing community. Membership provides access to industry advocacy, professional development opportunities, networking events, and regular market intelligence updates tailored specifically to Alaska's unique market conditions.
2025-2026 Membership Benefits Include:
- Voice in state legislative advocacy through our new Legislative Affairs Committee
- Monthly educational sessions and industry updates
- Professional networking opportunities with Alaska mortgage banking leaders
- Access to Alaska-specific market data and trends
- Discounted rates for industry events and conferences
Contact AMBA at (907) 727-1076 or [email protected] to learn about Regular, Affiliate, Non-Profit, and Individual membership options. Visit alaskamba.org for complete membership information and dues structure. Join us in advancing Alaska's mortgage banking industry!
New Job Posts
Check out these careers!
Our Career Board is now available! Take a look at some of the new positions below:
Residential Lending Manager - Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union
Loan officer Assistant - Raven Mortgage
POST YOUR JOB TODAY USING YOUR MEMBER ACCOUNT!
