We were honored to sit down last week with @Texas Mortgage Bankers Association CEO @Scott Norman for a preview of the 2026 Texas Housing Summit in Austin, his insights on the state of the industry, and why he’s excited about this year’s event.
1. Last year, TMBA launched the Texas Housing Summit, and this November you’ll bring the industry together again at the LBJ Library. What did you learn from the inaugural summit, and how has that shaped your vision for the second year?
First, thank you to BMG for having me. One of the biggest things we learned last year is that people have a real appetite for learning more and getting involved in the residential real estate and mortgage industry. Residential real estate represents about 15% of our state’s GDP, so this is an enormously important industry for Texas.
Knowing that interest is there, we’ve brought together some of the state’s and nation’s leading thinkers for a meaningful conversation about what’s happening in residential real estate in Texas and where we’re headed.
2. Housing affordability continues to command attention from policymakers, consumers, and our industry. Why is this an especially important moment to bring together mortgage professionals, policymakers, and other housing leaders for a Texas-focused conversation?
Affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing our industry. In fact, I’ll be testifying today before the Texas House Committee on Insurance about some of these very issues.
We’ve seen delinquencies rise in Texas, particularly in government-backed portfolios, and that puts us right at the epicenter of the affordability conversation. Think about it this way: some families who qualified for a mortgage five years ago might not qualify for that same home today.
Insurance is a big part of the equation. Texas has led the nation in hail events, and the frequency of severe weather is driving insurance costs higher. For many homeowners, taxes and insurance now make up a significant portion of their monthly housing payment. We’re even seeing people borrow against their 401(k)s to meet expenses, and that’s concerning.
Affordability isn’t going away anytime soon. It will be a major focus for our industry and for the TMBA as we head toward the next legislative session.
3. As you look at this year’s agenda, what issues or conversations do you believe will be particularly important for Texas mortgage professionals to hear, and why?
Affordability will certainly be a major topic, but we’re also going to talk about data centers, taxes, foreign investment and what all those things mean for Texas’ continued growth.
People talk about “Y’all Street” rivaling Wall Street, but this is about much more than winning jobs. Texas has become home to major companies across virtually every sector. Our workforce is growing rapidly, our population continues to increase, and major banks and corporations are establishing headquarters or expanding their presence here.
That creates an extraordinary opportunity for TMBA and our members to be part of Texas’ growth for decades to come. We want our industry to be in the room for these conversations, and, more importantly, to be part of the answers and solutions.
4. What were you looking for as you developed this year’s program, and what perspectives do you hope attendees will gain from the speakers you’ve brought together?
Our committee has an ambitious goal: we want to make the Texas Housing Summit the best housing summit in the country.
We also want it to have national reach because what happens in Texas matters to the rest of the country, and what happens nationally certainly affects Texas. That means hearing from people with different vantage points across the housing and financial services industries.
We’re bringing together thought leaders from banking, homebuilding, real estate, mortgage banking, and other sectors. And we’re not finished with the speaker lineup yet. Our goal is to have a real diversity of experience, expertise, and viewpoints in the room so that everyone who attends comes away with new insights and perspective.
5. You began your career as an aide in the Texas Legislature before spending more than three decades in mortgage banking and advocacy. How does that combination of experiences shape the way you think about the conversations we need to be having around housing policy and the mortgage industry today?
I started my career at the State Capitol, working in both the Texas House and Senate, and that experience has been invaluable in the role I have today. I’ve spent a lot of time around the Capitol in the years since, and one thing you learn is that good public policy starts with relationships and understanding how the process works.
TMBA was founded in 1917, and from its earliest days our mission has included improving conditions within our industry, talking openly about the challenges we face and working together on legislative solutions.
And just because the Legislature isn’t in session doesn’t mean our work stops. We’re building relationships on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers year-round. Understanding how policy is made and maintaining strong relationships with legislators and their staff are vitally important to our industry.
6. One of TMBA’s important roles is giving the Texas mortgage industry a strong voice on public policy issues. How do you hope conversations at the Housing Summit translate into greater understanding in the future?
We know we’re stronger when we join forces with other organizations representing banking, homebuilding, apartments, residential real estate, and the broader housing industry. When we work together, we can speak through one much bigger megaphone.
I also hope people who haven’t been as active in TMBA see what can happen when we bring all these voices together. I like to say I’m in the tent-building business—I want more people in the tent, not fewer. The broader our coalition becomes, the stronger our voice is on the issues affecting housing and homeownership in Texas.
7. Finally, for someone who’s considering attending the Housing Summit but hasn’t registered yet, what would you tell them about why they should attend the event?
Over the next 20 years, Texas is going to grow in ways that are difficult for us to imagine today. If you’re part of the housing or mortgage industry, you want to be in the room as we talk about what that growth means.
We’re bringing together the top leaders and thinkers, along with people from financial services, banking, the corporate world, housing, and public policy. There will also be tremendous opportunities to network with people from across the industry.
Last, I don’t want TMBA to be thought of as just another trade association. I want it to be a destination where people come to learn, build relationships, exchange ideas and help shape the future of our industry. Come learn about TMBA, learn more about the residential mortgage industry, and discover how you can have a voice in its success.