---
title: Riding the Latest Margin Compression Wave
description: It’s time to return to basics and shift focus to operational efficiency, best practices and cost reduction.
---

[Optimal Blue Optimal Insights ](https://engage.optimalblue.com/optimal-insights)

# [Riding the Latest Margin Compression Wave](https://engage.optimalblue.com/optimal-insights/riding-the-latest-margin-compression-wave)

 Written by [Mike Vough](https://engage.optimalblue.com/optimal-insights/author/mike-vough) | Dec 23, 2021 7:29:00 PM

Last year was a good year for expansion, with many lenders taking advantage of high margins and strong demand for mortgages and refinances. Lenders had more business than they could handle, and were doing everything possible to close all the loans [in their pipelines](https://www.topofmind.com/mortgage-pipeline/). This year is a different story. It’s time to return to basics and shift focus to operational efficiency, best practices and cost reduction.  Read more on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/riding-latest-margin-compression-wave-michael-vough/?trackingId=l1SNoV%2FARM%2B9CLO8WK00rQ%3D%3D).

[View full post](https://engage.optimalblue.com/optimal-insights/riding-the-latest-margin-compression-wave)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Mike Vough"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2023-08-24T18:29:29.627Z",
  "datePublished" : "2021-12-23T19:29:00Z",
  "headline" : "Riding the Latest Margin Compression Wave",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 480,
    "url" : "https://4225469.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4225469/Blueline-Blog/blog-NMLS-2.png",
    "width" : 1200
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://engage.optimalblue.com/optimal-insights/riding-the-latest-margin-compression-wave",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "OPTIMAL INSIGHTS"
  }
}
```