Los Angeles, CA – May2026 – Just as it started to feel like things were getting a little easier, mortgage rates moved back up again and for a lot of people that was frustrating but also a reminder that this market still doesn’t move in a straight line and probably won’t anytime soon.
After briefly dipping below 6%, rates have slightly climbed again and while that would have completely stopped activity a year ago, this time the reaction looks very different. According to Alex Shekhtman, CEO of LBC Mortgage, the shift isn’t really in the numbers but in how people are thinking.
“What I’m seeing right now is that people didn’t disappear when rates went back up and that’s the biggest difference,” Alex said. “Before, something like this would freeze everything and buyers would say ‘let’s wait’ now it’s more like, ‘okay, not ideal, but let’s figure it out!’ and that mindset changes everything.”
He says buyers are no longer chasing a perfect moment because they’ve started to realize that it probably doesn’t exist.
“At some point you understand that there’s always going to be something – rates, inventory, news, uncertainty – and if you wait for all of it to line up perfectly, you’ll just keep pushing your life forward for no reason,” he said. “So instead, people are starting to ask better questions, look at their own numbers and make decisions based on what actually works for them.’’
The Spring Market is Moving
Spring is picking up but not in a dramatic way, and that’s exactly why it feels more real.
“The market is slower, more thoughtful, and honestly it feels healthier because people are actually thinking through what they’re doing instead of reacting.”
With inventory slowly improving in some areas, buyers are finally getting something they didn’t have before – space to think.
“You can walk into a place, leave, come back, run your numbers, talk to your lender, and actually understand what you’re committing to,” LBC Mortgage CEO said. “That didn’t exist before and I think that’s going to lead to better decisions overall’’
Even refinancing, which hasn’t made sense for a while, is starting to come back into conversations (not for everyone, but enough to matter).
“For some homeowners, this small shift in rates is enough to revisit their situation and see if they can improve it and that’s something people shouldn’t ignore,” Alex said. “It doesn’t cost anything to ask and sometimes that one conversation changes everything.”
LBC Mortgage Hosted a Webinar for Real Estate Agents
Earlier this spring, Alex Shekhtman hosted a live webinar for real estate agents.
“A lot of agents are doing everything they were taught to do and still not getting the results they expect, and that’s frustrating,” Alex said. The truth is it’s not about their effort but about the fact that the buyer today is completely different from the buyer a few years ago, and most people were never really shown how to adjust to that.”
Today’s buyers come with more questions, a lot more hesitation and often more complex financial situations.
“You’re dealing with self-employed clients, first-time buyers, people asking about programs, about structure, about what their payment will actually feel like long-term, and if you can’t walk them through that clearly, they hesitate, and when they hesitate, deals fall apart,” Alex said.
That’s what the webinar focused on – understanding the mortgage process.
“The agents who are going to win in this market are the ones who slow things down and explain things better, because confidence is what moves a buyer forward now, not pressure,” Alex said. “If your client feels like they understand what’s happening, they move forward – if they don’t, of course they wait.”
Bigger Stage, Same Work
Alex Shekhtman has been confirmed as a speaker at the IMN Non-QM Conference on June 16, 2026, one of the most respected industry events focused on borrowers who don’t fit into traditional lending boxes – self-employed clients, investors, and people whose financial story doesn’t show up cleanly on paper but is very real in practice.
For LBC Mortgage CEO it’s a reflection of where his work has been heading for years.
“What I like about that space is that it’s honest about how people actually earn and live today,” he said. “It’s about real situations, and that’s exactly what we deal with every day anyway.’
Being invited to speak at a conference like this signals something bigger than just visibility.
“For me, it means that the work we’ve been doing all these years – helping clients who don’t fit the traditional mold, finding ways to structure deals that actually reflect real life – is now part of a much bigger conversation,” Alex said. “And that matters, because it means the industry is starting to move in the same direction our clients have been living in for years.”
And even with that bigger platform, his focus stays the same.
“At the end of the day, it still comes down to one client at a time,” Shekhtman added. “You can speak on a panel, you can be in a room full of industry leaders, but what actually matters is whether someone on the other side of your phone call feels like you understand their situation and can help them move forward.”
Recognized Again – But Looking Forward
This month, LBC Mortgage was recognized by Business Rate as one of the top-rated mortgage companies, based on real Google reviews from clients.
At the same time, Alex Shekhtman was included in HousingWire’s 2026 Mortgage Leaders ranking, which highlights professionals across the country who are shaping how the mortgage industry is evolving through leadership, ideas, and the way they work with clients.
“I’m proud of both, but for different reasons,” Alex said. “The Business Rate recognition means people trusted us with something big – and then took the time to go back and say, ‘this was a good experience.’ ”
He explained that in mortgages, where the process can feel stressful and confusing, client feedback carries real weight.
The HousingWire recognition, on the other hand, speaks to something different.
“That one is more about how you’re seen inside the industry – how you think, how you build, how you adapt when things change,” Alex said. “It means people who understand this business are paying attention to what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.”
And for him, having both at the same time is what makes it meaningful.
“When clients trust you and the industry respects you, that’s the balance you want,” he said. “Because one without the other doesn’t really mean much.”
Then, like always, he brought it back to the people behind it.
“None of this comes from one person,” Shekhtman said. “It’s the team – marketing, processing, HR, PR, compliance, operations – the people who answer calls, who fix problems before they grow and who stay on a deal when it gets complicated instead of walking away.”
What LBC Mortgage CEO Keeps Telling People Right Now
“Don’t wait for perfect conditions, because they’re not coming,” he said. “Instead, understand where you stand, know your numbers and have a plan, because once you have that, you’re in control of the decision instead of reacting to the market.”
He paused for a moment, then added:
“This market isn’t easy, but it’s not closed either, and if you approach it the right way, there’s still a lot of opportunity – you just have to be willing to meet it halfway. And if you don’t know how to do that yet – that’s exactly what we’re here for.”
About LBC Mortgage
LBC Mortgage is a national mortgage brokerage licensed in California, Florida, Illinois, Washington, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Colorado, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. With a people-first philosophy, LBC offers FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo, and self‑employed loan programs – providing clarity, flexible solutions, and support for a wide range of borrowers.
Media Contact:
Sofiia Kovalchuk
Head of PR, LBC Mortgage
sofiia@lbcmortgage.com
(818) 217 0138
lbcmortgage.com