Reverse Mortgage Conference Considerations in 2009 – Forecasting the “Whether”

While the Mortgage Bankers Association and Source Media (publishers of National Mortgage News, among other industry titles) continue to either plan or seriously consider reverse mortgage-themed conferences for 2009, the sector’s best-known entity, the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association, is re-structuring its own event plans for the year.

Unlike 2008, when NRMLA hosted two regional events, the group reportedly will stage as many as five or more meetings throughout next year, strategically situated in various parts of the country near the HUD homeownership centers, which are located in Atlanta, Denver, Philadelphia and Santa Ana, Calif. The more frequent, localized events would enable attendees to drive rather than fly and to avoid costly overnight hotel stays.

Meanwhile, MBA (which held two RM events in 2008) continues to eye a conference this spring, but no date has been set. And, Source Media is considering its first reverse mortgage event, but is hesitant over concerns about lagging attendance at all industry events (indeed SM canceled its long-running technology conference this month for lack of registrations).

Yet another programmer, the American Conference Institute, is said to have considered a reverse mortgage conference, but was not convinced it would attract enough attendees, given the relatively small size of the sector, an ACI source told RMD.