Blog: Q&A with Faith Schwartz of Housing Finance Strategies

March 30, 2022

“I am thrilled to see the increase in the number of mortgage companies owned by women. It is clear evidence of the hard work so many have put in to lift up the next generation.”

Faith Schwartz is the Founding Principal of Housing Finance Strategies. As part of USMI’s Q&A series celebrating prominent women leaders in housing finance, Faith shared advice to others in this space, her thoughts on how the industry can ensure the unique borrowing needs of women, and how the industry can grow to ensure diverse representation at all levels. She has had a tremendous career, made truly positive impacts on housing, and has demonstrated women’s leadership at its highest levels.

 

Read more from women leaders

1. What piece of advice has stuck with you most and helped you become a leader in the housing finance space?
2. What’s your message for young women in the housing finance industry who seek a long and successful career?
3. We have seen a surge in the number of mortgage companies owned by women. What do you think women leadership brings to the table for the mortgage industry?
4. With women becoming an increasing share of the home purchase market, how do you think the housing industry can best respond to meet these borrowers’ homebuying needs?

Faith Schwartz Biography

Faith Schwartz is a leading housing finance expert who has played a firsthand role in shaping industry best practices and public policy during her 30-year career. As founding principal of Housing Finance Strategies, she serves marquis public and private housing finance and fintech organizations with timely industry analysis and ad-hoc consulting.

Previously, Schwartz was SVP of government at CoreLogic, where she established the property data and analytics firm’s government vertical and created a public affairs office that co-hosted numerous events in partnership with the Urban Institute. She also spent five years at Freddie Mac, where she created and led an anti-predatory lending task force. In 2007 she was recruited to lead HOPE NOW, an alliance formed by the Housing Policy Council and the Treasury Department. As HOPE NOW’s Executive Director, she assembled a coalition of government agencies, lending institutions, nonprofits and trade associations to address challenges of the housing market crisis.

Schwartz currently serves on the boards of FormFree, RiskSpan, Class Appraisal, FundingShield, Redwood Trust and Gateway First Bank. A resident of Washington, D.C., Schwartz holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Pittsburgh.

Recognitions:

  • NEXT Mortgage Events’ Powerhouse Award (2020)
  • HousingWire’s Vanguard Award (2019)
  • Mortgage Professional America’s Women with Vision (2019)
  • National Mortgage Professional’s Most Powerful Women in Mortgage Banking (2018)
  • HousingWire’s Women of Influence (2012, 2017)
  • Mortgage Banking’s 20 Distinguished Industry Women (2013)
  • Five Star Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2010)
  • Mortgage Bankers Association’s Investing in Communities Award (2008)