The recent 145% tariff on Chinese goods, though temporary, sent shockwaves through American industries—from retail giants like Walmart to small businesses scattered across the country. For those of us in the mortgage field services industry, particularly those managing and maintaining foreclosed assets, the ripple effects are real, and they’re not going away any time soon.

According to the Yale Budget Lab, the average U.S. tariff rate is now at its highest level since 1934. That’s not just a historical footnote—it’s a red flag for contractors and vendors already working on razor-thin margins.

🔧 What This Means for Field Service Professionals

If you’ve been repairing REO (Real Estate Owned) properties or prepping homes for HUD conveyance, you’ve already felt the squeeze. Here’s how tariffs are translating into real-world challenges:

1. Material Costs Are Surging

The cost of basic materials—plywood, locks, HVAC parts, plumbing fixtures, even fasteners—is rising due to tariffs on imported goods. Since much of what we use in foreclosure cleanup and preservation comes from overseas (especially China), the price hikes can be sharp and unpredictable.

➡️ Example: That $22 lock set you’ve been buying from MFS Supply — now $23.50 over the past several days — whom have already added tariff pricing on a slew of products including cabinets, may become $40 or more. Multiply that by 20 properties a month, and your cost just ballooned by $360 or more.

2. Vendors Pass Along the Pain

Suppliers hit with higher import costs have no choice but to pass them along. Big-box stores like Walmart are already raising prices. Smaller vendors who supply property preservation contractors will likely do the same—if they haven’t already.

3. No Cushion for Increased Costs

Unlike retail or construction, most field services contracts have fixed pricing. There’s little to no room to adjust bids after assignment. If you’re paid $35 for a lock change, you can’t go back and ask for $65 just because tariffs spiked your material costs. And the more disturbing reality is that the volumes tanked to their lowest levels in 25 years, this week.

➡️ The result: Contractors eat the cost or walk away from the job—leading to lower profits or fewer bids accepted.

🕒 A 90-Day Warning Shot

The recent tariff was just the beginning. If the U.S. and China can’t strike a new trade deal in the next 90 days, tariffs could climb even higher. That uncertainty makes it nearly impossible to plan project budgets or secure materials at consistent prices.

📉 A Compounding Crisis in a Low-Pay Industry

Mortgage field services has long suffered from:

• Decades-stagnant pricing

• Slow pay cycles

• High cost of compliance

• Volume unpredictability

Add rising tariffs to the mix, and you’ve got a perfect storm. Many long-time contractors are now opting out entirely, citing the unsustainable economics of the work.

💡 What Can Be Done?

1. Build a Local Supply Chain
   Sourcing from domestic suppliers can reduce exposure to tariffs. But this requires strategic partnerships and, often, higher up-front costs. No way that Labor can do that and moreover, it is illegal for the order mills to subsidize the expenses for materials.

2. Push for Adjustable Pricing Clauses
   Industry associations and vendors should advocate for contracts that allow cost adjustments based on material price volatility. While the International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST) has been attempting to do this very thing, it has fallen upon deaf ears. Part of the IAFST’s Mission has been to transition firms out of the Industry and into legitimate work, not controlled by NAMFS and the Miller Regime.

3. Stay Informed
   If you’re not watching international trade news, you’re flying blind. Staying ahead of tariff trends helps you stock up before price hikes hit.

4. Educate Clients & Asset Managers
   It’s time to communicate the economic reality to those sending work orders. If pricing doesn’t adapt, the quality and availability of field services will continue to decline.

⚠️ Final Thoughts

The 145% tariff may have been short-lived, but its impact is part of a much bigger story: we’re in a new era of cost pressure, and the mortgage field services industry is uniquely vulnerable.

If you’re managing foreclosures, preserving assets, or cleaning up properties, now is the time to rethink your margins, supply chain, and survival strategy. The days of absorbing every new cost without pushback are over.

🔍 Are you seeing price hikes or struggling to keep bids profitable? Let’s talk solutions—because the future of field services depends on it. Simply click the Book an Appointment on the right sidebar and begin your higher paying, higher volume career today!

The mortgage field services industry is facing a storm of developments—some expected, some unwelcome, and others outright concerning. Here’s what you need to know from this past week.

📉 Uptick in Layoffs Across the Industry

Reduction-in-force (RIF) notices are once again making the rounds for the National Order Mills. As volumes continue to stagnate, especially in preservation and inspection services, major vendors and subcontractors are also quietly shedding staff. While the public statements cite “market conditions,” insiders report that bid-to-work ratios and delayed payment cycles are driving many long-standing field vendors to either downsize or close up entirely. Speculation for the RIFs at the Order Mills include the use of AI; however, if you track the MSR transfers lately, it could be the loss of contracts. The field is thinning—and not by choice.

🕒 Fannie Mae Pushes First Inspection Window to 90 Days

In a move that surprised many, Fannie Mae has officially pushed the required first property inspection window from 30 days to 90 days. While this eases the workload for asset managers on paper, the real-world consequences for field services are less rosy. Longer delays before first inspections mean worse property conditions upon arrival, more extensive repairs, and higher costs that servicers will now struggle to recoup. For field vendors, this reduces volume and delays payments even further—a bad sign for a sector already on life support.

🏦 Rocket Mortgage Acquires Mr. Cooper — and Moves to Safeguard & ServiceLink

The consolidation wave hit hard this week with Rocket Mortgage finalizing its acquisition of Mr. Cooper. As part of the transition, Rocket is reportedly shifting much of the default servicing work—including inspections and preservation—to Safeguard Properties and ServiceLink. While Rocket has long aimed for centralized control, the vendor change will likely displace smaller firms and shake up longstanding subcontractor networks. For many, the message is clear: the big are getting bigger, and everyone else must adapt or exit.

🛠️ Tariffs Now Hitting Foreclosure Repair Costs

Tariffs are no longer a distant concern—they’re here. Walmart’s latest earnings report confirmed the impact of tariffs on consumer prices, and the ripple effect is already being felt in foreclosure repair budgets. Material costs are climbing—lumber, fasteners, and even caulking and paint are seeing inflation. For field crews, even lawn care and general maintenance tools are spiking in cost, forcing many to delay equipment upgrades or make do with deteriorating gear. Combined with stagnant work volume and payment delays, this development couldn’t come at a worse time.

📁 National Field Network Bankruptcy: Trustee Asks to Destroy Documents

In a deeply controversial move, the trustee overseeing National Field Network’s involuntary bankruptcy is now petitioning the court to destroy records—even though hundreds of contractors and vendors still haven’t seen a penny in restitution eight years after the initial filing. Industry advocates are raising red flags, arguing that destroying documents may erase the only proof some vendors have of work performed or invoices sent. For many who absorbed the losses from NFN’s collapse, it feels like yet another betrayal from a system that has repeatedly failed to protect them. While the Trustee may feel the documents are not important, it would strike me as more of a fact to be determined by a jury should this bankruptcy — or the Trustee’s actions — ever be challenged. Obviously, this Motion would have never seen the light of day had Foreclosurepedia not pulled the docket statement.

💰 Financial Markets & Mortgage Rates

On the financial front, mortgage rates remain stubbornly high, with the 30-year fixed average hovering around 7.1% this week. The Federal Reserve has signaled no immediate rate cuts, citing persistent inflation—particularly in services and energy. This continues to suppress homebuyer activity and refinancing, reducing downstream volumes in default servicing. Until rates ease, new foreclosure inflow will likely stay limited, and field service companies will continue fighting over fewer work orders. And while many pundits are pointing to the climbs in foreclosure filings, the reality is that these are modest, at best.

🔍 Final Thoughts

This week served as a stark reminder that the mortgage field services sector is walking a financial and operational tightrope. Layoffs, delayed inspections, vendor consolidation, cost inflation, and legal setbacks for unpaid contractors are shaping a perfect storm. The industry may survive, but the question is: in what form, and at what cost to the laborers and small businesses holding it together?

In recent discussions with multiple Industry professionals, both Labor and Management, the reality has become clear: The volumes are gone. Whether it be inspections or actual property preservation, we are seeing all-time lows. For decades, mortgage field services have been the backbone of foreclosure property preservation in America. From inspecting vacant homes to securing abandoned properties and maintaining grounds, thousands of companies—large and small—have kept the wheels turning. But as anyone in this space knows, something has changed. And not for the better.

Today, we find ourselves at a crossroads.

The industry that once sustained countless vendors and contractors has become unsustainable. Pricing models haven’t changed in over 30 years. Inflation has eroded profitability. Labor shortages have become a daily challenge. Payment delays are longer than ever. And volumes? They’re falling year after year.

Rather than hold on to a sinking ship, it’s time to do what the best field service companies do best: adapt.

The Case for Change

Let’s be honest: the foreclosure servicing model is broken. Many of us have continued working within it out of loyalty, sunk costs, or lack of alternatives. But the data doesn’t lie:

• Pricing has been stagnant since the 1990s.

• Contractors are leaving the field in droves for industries that pay faster and more fairly.

• Volume fluctuations make forecasting nearly impossible.

• Regulatory requirements have increased, but compensation has not.

In short, we’re doing more for less—with less—and waiting longer to be paid.

Same Skills, New Markets

Here’s the good news: what we’ve built in mortgage field services is not obsolete—it’s overqualified for broader markets.

Our teams have developed elite capabilities in field deployment, quality assurance, documentation, compliance, logistics, and client service. These skills are in high demand across other sectors that pay better, move faster, and offer long-term stability.

Now is the time to begin pivoting into B2B service markets—a space where our operational discipline and field-ready workforce can make a bigger impact.

Where We’re Headed

The B2B world is vast. And many industries are underserved when it comes to reliable field operations. We’re currently exploring and engaging in sectors like:

• Commercial facility inspections and repairs

• Retail compliance audits and merchandising installations

• Utility and energy field services (e.g., smart meters, site assessments)

• Last-mile logistics support and route inspections

• Fleet inspections and mobile asset tracking

• Janitorial, landscaping, and building maintenance services

In these areas, service providers are judged by outcomes—not price tags alone. That means quality, reliability, and compliance are rewarded, not exploited.

A Call for Collaboration

We’re not doing this alone—and we don’t believe others should either.

We know that many in our industry are grappling with the same challenges. That’s why we’re not just shifting our business—we’re inviting others to join us. Let’s form a network of experienced field service providers ready to bring our standards and professionalism into new arenas.

If you’re a vendor, contractor, scheduler, or operations lead burned out by the current state of mortgage field services—let’s talk. There’s real opportunity in working together to build something stronger than what we’re leaving behind.

The Bottom Line

We’re not leaving because we failed. We’re leaving because we’re ready to succeed in new ways. The mortgage field services industry shaped us—but it can no longer sustain us.

We have the talent. We have the systems. We have the drive.

Now, we’re taking those assets where they’ll be valued.

The future of field service isn’t tied to foreclosures—it’s tied to flexibility, relationships, and real business value.

If you’re thinking about making this transition or want to collaborate on new B2B opportunities, reach out. There’s a new field ahead—and it’s wide open.

Below is the first draft from the International Association of Field Service Technicians (IAFST), a trade association looking to explore better paying work for their Membership.

Leveraging Decades of Operational Expertise in a New Economic Era

I. Executive Summary
The mortgage field services industry—once a stable sector built around property preservation, inspections, and asset management—is facing an existential decline. Over the past three decades, volume has declined, pricing has remained stagnant, and labor has been undervalued despite increasing compliance demands. As a result, it has become necessary to reimagine the future. This paper proposes a strategic shift from mortgage field services into broader B2B service offerings where our operational strengths, logistical coordination, compliance management, and boots-on-the-ground execution can serve new markets more profitably and sustainably.

II. Background: Industry Conditions and Constraints
The mortgage field services industry has suffered from several compounding pressures:

• Stagnant pricing models that have not adjusted for inflation in over 30 years.
• Increased regulatory compliance without proportional pay increases.
• Volume instability due to market cycles, moratoriums, and shifts in servicing policies.
• Delayed payments and high overheads, which disproportionately affect small and mid-sized vendors.
• Talent attrition, as skilled workers leave for better-paying industries.

While demand may never disappear entirely, the writing is on the wall for companies relying solely on foreclosure-driven work. Now is the time to transition.

III. Rationale for a B2B Pivot
B2B markets offer a diversity of opportunities with healthier pricing, better payment structures, and room for innovation. Key transferable capabilities include:

• Field workforce coordination and deployment
• Detailed reporting and photo documentation systems
• Compliance with strict quality standards and timelines
• Client relationship management under contractual service level agreements (SLAs)
• Technology integration for order tracking and updates
• B2B verticals that align with our capabilities:
• Commercial property maintenance & inspections
• Retail site audits, signage compliance, and fixture installations
• Utility field services (e.g., smart meter installation, pole inspections)
• Facilities management (janitorial, landscaping, light repairs)
• Logistics support, last-mile delivery, or courier coordination
• Fleet inspections or mobile asset tracking for enterprises

IV. Strategic Transition Framework

Skill Mapping and Capability Inventory
Audit internal operations and subcontractor networks to map core competencies to B2B market needs.

Market Feasibility Study
Identify high-demand, under-serviced B2B markets within reach of current operational zones.

Brand and Service Repositioning
Rebrand the organization from a foreclosure service provider to a B2B field service partner. Update website, marketing materials, and capability statements.

Pilot Programs and Partner Collaboration
Launch pilot contracts with allied companies or regional B2B clients in facilities or logistics to validate service delivery and pricing.

Team Alignment and Vendor Engagement
Communicate the vision with vendors and staff; retrain where needed. Offer incentives for transitioning with the business to new roles and clients.

Customer Relationship Management and Outreach
Leverage existing CRM tools to begin outreach to potential B2B clients—especially those disillusioned with their current vendors.

V. Call to Collaboration
This transition will require shared vision and cooperative effort. Rather than wait for the mortgage field services industry to collapse further, we propose an industry-wide conversation among like-minded vendors and service providers to share resources, create new partnerships, and enter B2B markets as a coalition. There is strength in numbers—and experience to spare.

VI. Conclusion
Our industry’s legacy is one of persistence and problem-solving under pressure. These strengths now position us well for a new chapter—one where we serve corporate clients with professionalism honed through decades of hard field work. With collaborative planning and bold execution, we can ensure a stable future outside the confines of a shrinking foreclosure marketplace.

In the world of mortgage field services—a sector responsible for inspecting and maintaining vacant or foreclosed homes—there’s a widening chasm between the pay received by the boots-on-the-ground labor and the fees collected by major contractors like Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS). Their moniker, Making Communities Shine, a play upon the acronym, has simply been a tarnishing upon the Industry and Labor, at large. While companies like MCS boast a federal contract worth millions through the GSA Schedule, field inspectors continue to earn as little as $8 per inspection, often with only a few calendar days to complete the work.

Despite GSA-approved rates — seen below — showing prices like $20.10 for an inspection or $47.86 for a loss draft inspection, labor subcontractors report receiving only a fraction of that—commonly $8 or less—without mileage or administrative compensation. These inspections must be completed quickly, often under tight and rigid deadlines, regardless of location or environmental conditions.

A System Built for Delay and Chargebacks

Getting paid for completed inspections is another battle. Laborers routinely wait weeks or even months to be paid, despite contractually submitting the required photo documentation and reports within the demanded timelines. Even then, many report spurious chargebacks—penalties for alleged issues such as not providing “enough photos,” blurry images, or vague justifications that are rarely open to appeal. Others see bids slashed arbitrarily, where a contractor proposes $1,000 for debris removal, but is approved for only $400—with Labor still expected to complete the original scope without additional pay.

These chargebacks and bid reductions disproportionately affect labor, who have no leverage or recourse in most cases. And while MCS bills government entities at the full GSA rate, the actual payment to the laborer is often less than 25% of that rate—effectively padding profits at the expense of those doing the real work. Add to this the mandatory discounting of the price and you have a shadow network of indentured servants.

Inflation, Tariffs, and Stagnant Wages

Making matters worse, this exploitation is happening against a backdrop of historic inflation, rising fuel prices, tariffs on building materials, and an ever-increasing cost of living. Yet, the pay for field service inspectors has not changed in over 30 years. Many in the industry report being paid the same $8–$10 per job today that was offered in the early 1990s, even though MCS and others are charging clients at modern, often premium rates.

Basic tools like smartphones, high-speed internet, and fuel are all paid for by Labor. There are no reimbursements for driving hundreds of miles a week, no hazard pay for dangerous or dilapidated conditions, and no overtime protections.

The Consequences of Neglect

The impact is both economic and structural. Labor is leaving the industry en masse, seeking better-paying jobs in unrelated sectors. This exodus of experienced inspectors and maintenance providers is already showing cracks in the system. Turnaround times are increasing, quality is declining, and more work is being shuffled between fewer vendors with less training—all while the companies managing the contracts continue to post profit margins buoyed by cutting corners and squeezing labor.

The GSA contract with MCS runs through February 2027. It gives a peek into the $1.4 billion dollar annual industry and unless significant reforms are introduced—including minimum labor compensation standards, transparent chargeback processes, and inflation-based pay adjustments—the mortgage field services industry may find itself unable to retain the workforce it depends on.

Conclusion

In a sector where prompt, accurate, and often hazardous fieldwork is essential to protecting the value of federally-backed assets, it is unconscionable that the very people performing that labor remain underpaid, under-protected, and overlooked. Without reform, the foundation of mortgage field services—already weakened by decades of neglect—may collapse under the weight of its own exploitation.

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