Paul Anastos is the president of loanDepot’s Mortgage Master retail division

Boston Agent (BA): Do you expect interest rates to remain low through 2016?

Paul Anastos (PA): We expect rates to remain low through 2016 and into 2017. It’s hard to predict if we will reach historical lows again, but uncertainties, both domestic and global, will likely keep rates low. Those uncertainties are both economic and political. For example, they include below-average global growth, low inflation and the upcoming U.S. presidential election.

BA: Are there any new regulations on the horizon that agents should know about?

PA: The adoption of TRID in Oct. 2015 was possibly the most significant regulatory change in the history of our business. There are definitely still aspects of TRID that real estate agents and their customers need to become more informed about in order to avoid delays in the homebuying and financing process. It is our responsibility to communicate, and we are taking every opportunity to keep all our partners up-to-date on TRID.

Beyond TRID, we do not see any major regulatory change on the horizon

BA: Boston is struggling with very low levels of housing affordability. What is your perspective on that trend, and how the market can both grow and remain accessible for all residents?

PA: From our perspective, the biggest driver behind low levels of affordability is actually rather healthy. We have more buyers than sellers, which has shrunk the inventory of homes on the market and led to higher prices. If home prices remain high, homeowners will be more motivated to list their homes for sale, and builders will be more inclined to build new homes, adding inventory to the market.

At the same time, with mortgage rates at or near historical lows, home affordability is still fairly strong. The biggest challenge for buyers is finding a home they want. Low rates increase market accessibility in a rising-price environment. If that trend changes, the situation could certainly become more challenging. Today, however, the environment is still much healthier than pre-crash, when people bought homes they could not afford and were often receiving poor advice.

Finally, I would say that buyers today are savvier, even as lenders no longer offer as many of the exotic loan programs that impacted borrowers in the past. As a result, more borrowers are now qualifying for full documentation loans. Yes, we do have a supply-and-demand issue right now, but all other factors are pointing toward a healthy purchase market.

The key to success for potential buyers is to be prepared before they enter the market. That’s why it’s in everyone’s interest that real estate agents and mortgage professionals work together before homebuyers make their choices. By doing so, we help ensure that buyers are in the best possible position to win competitive bids.

Paul Anastos is a leading expert in residential home loans and president of loanDepot’s Mortgage Master retail division. A frequent speaker at national mortgage and finance events, Paul can be reached at AskPaul@mortgagemaster.com or @paulanastos on Twitter.