ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

In case you missed it – 10.1.2025

A home equity boom, complex car loans, the power of podcasts, and the strength in differences. Here’s what we noticed, in case you missed it:

Higher home values set new records in home equity

There’s an interesting flip side to the inflation in home values in recent years, namely the fact that home equity is also at record levels, according to this CUDaily article from Frank Diekmann. And of course some homeowners are tapping into that housing wealth with home equity loans and cash-out refinancing. The catch here is that there are some pretty significant local variations in housing markets, and a lot of individual variations in how and why homeowners are using their equity. “Local”? “Individual”? Sounds like the perfect environment for credit unions to shine.

Car loan complexity

Speaking of loans, we thought this CUInsight article written by Bob Child of Origence was a darn good summary of how the auto loan market is getting more complex. It’s not just about having the best rate on a 60 month anymore, and frankly, it never was. Risk and portfolio management are obviously more complex, but the human factors are also more important now than ever – member financial literacy and local dealer relationships are also critical. Everybody wins when members are equipped to make better choices, and members (and dealers) have a local resource they can trust.

Pay attention to podcasts

As this brand-new Fact Sheet from Pew Research points out, podcasts are steadily getting more and more popular among all age groups. Younger people (67% of those 18-29 vs. 33% of those over 65) are about twice as likely to listen to podcasts, but overall a majority of US adults listen to podcasts.

The beauty of podcasts is that there are multiple ways and levels to engage with creators and audiences, including sponsorships, buying space for commercials, having hosts read (or even write) your commercial, buying mentions, and even becoming a guest if you have something interesting and relevant to say. Audiences are attentive and engaged, and rates are usually very reasonable.

Much like streaming, you have to “read the room” and tailor your message to make sure your message will be well-received, and that skip button stays un-tapped.

Differences as strengths

The “Better Allies” weekly e-newsletter is always full of simple, powerful insights. I particularly liked #3 in a recent issue, called “Ask, “Could this be an asset?””.

In other words, “The next time you find yourself making a snap judgment about someone, ask, “Could this be an asset?” You might be surprised by the strengths you uncover.” What a profound, yet very simple way to improve every interaction and make every relationship better.

AllofUs iDizians
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