January 2026 Newsletter

AAM Jan Newsletter - Title

Welcome to the Atlantic Avenue Mortgage (AAM) Monthly Newsletter, created especially for homeowners who are curious about reverse mortgages and want real information from real people. Each month, we will provide updates from AAM, answer common questions, and break things down in a way that’s easy to understand, so you can learn at your own pace and feel confident exploring your options.

If you’re new to reverse mortgages, you’re not alone. At Atlantic Avenue Mortgage, we work with homeowners every day who are starting to explore their options and want clear, honest answers without the pressure or confusion.

We are a mortgage broker that specializes in reverse mortgages, but more importantly, we are people who genuinely care about doing what is best for you. Our team takes the time to explain how things work, what makes sense for you personally, and how a reverse mortgage could fit into your retirement plans. If it’s not the right solution, we’ll be upfront about that.

We continue to help thousands of homeowners across the country navigate this process, and we have built our reputation on trust, education, and great service. This newsletter is our way of staying connected and helping you feel confident as you learn more about your options.

Now that you have a better sense of who we are and what this newsletter is all about, we hope you enjoy this month’s update!

Celebrating a Year of Growth

2025 was a milestone year for Atlantic Avenue Mortgage. We proudly moved our headquarters to a new, expanded office in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, designed to support our growing team. We also opened a new office in Annapolis, Maryland; an exciting step in our continued expansion and strengthening our presence along the East Coast. We wrapped up the year at our annual holiday party, celebrating our accomplishments and the incredible team that made it all possible.

(Members of AAM at the annual holiday party)

Growth for Our Clients

With new office locations and a growing nationwide footprint, we’re now licensed to serve homeowners across 34 States, and we are continuing to expand. That means more access, more support, and the same trusted, personal service no matter where you’re located. As we grow, our focus remains the same: being there for our clients with honest guidance, clear education, and solutions that truly put their needs first.

Market Updates

The last year has been a rollercoaster for the housing industry, resulting in both positive and negative changes for the average American. Below outlines a few of the updates we have seen in the last year.

Improvements for Home Buyers: Housing news this year has been riddled with varying results, most of which seem to shed negative light on the status of the housing market, and where it is going. Fortunately, through the fog of modern media, there are aspects of the housing market that are pointing forward in this post-COVID world.

  • Mortgage payments for a median-priced home have dropped to less than 30% of median household income for the first time since early 2023. 1
  • Single family homes saw a modest annual price increase of 1.1% in October.2

Rate Changes: In 2025, the Fed lowered the federal funds rate by a ¼ percentage point 3 times, resulting in a target range of 3.50% to 3.75% following the December 2025 report.

  • 30 Year mortgage rates fell 76 basis points over the year, providing refinance opportunities for loans originated between 2023 and 2025.3

Reverse Mortgages: The reverse mortgage sector saw little policy change, but HECM endorsements were briefly paused during the government shutdown this past fall.

  • HECM Snapshot Reports continue to be delayed with the latest data encompassing August of 2025. Within this report, Atlantic Avenue Mortgage maintains the top spot for mortgage brokers.
  • HECM lending limit increased by $39,375 to $1,249,125

Word on the Street

We are pleased to share recent client feedback that reflects the standards our team strives to uphold each day, including professionalism, clear communication, and a strong commitment to client service. We value hearing directly from the individuals and families we serve and below is a recent review left by one of our valued clients.

“This company went way beyond our expectations for service, professionalism, timely communications, updating, and overall performance. Our agent, Blaine Rutledge, was extremely responsive and supportive throughout the process, and we truly appreciated the teamwork behind the scenes. We’re grateful for the experience and the support we received.”

– Christopher M.

Blaine, one of our experienced loan officers here at AAM, had the following to say about the role he played in helping this client.

What was the clients’ desire to begin the process and how did we fulfill that?
Christopher wanted to get credit cards paid off. His bills were barely being paid on time and he knew something was about to give if he did not make a change, on top of his wishes of home repairs and make a sale.

How will this affect the borrower?
The client will be able to pay off tens of thousands in high interest credit cards, freeing up thousands a month in income and giving them ample cash flow to be able to fix up their home to sell it and downsize, ensuring they get the best price possible at sale as well.

How do you help clients understand their options so they can make informed decisions?   
I always make sure they fully understand the way the reverse mortgage functions and that all their questions are fully answered. Lack of education or outdated advice from family and friends is what prevents a large percentage of seniors from taking advantage of their HECM program benefits and continuing to struggle when they could be enjoying their retirement!


Blaine Rutledge
Senior Loan Officer
MLO NMLS #2503410

Client experiences may vary. Testimonials reflect individual client opinions and are not necessarily representative of all client experiences or outcomes.
Sources
  1. ICE Mortgage Monitor Report, December 2025, p.15
  2. ICE Mortgage Monitor Report, December 2025, p.17
  3. ICE Mortgage Monitor Report, December 2025, p.9-11; Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)

Written on Jan 21, 2026