Nationwide REO inventory is approximately one-third of what it was at its peak in early 2009 at the depth of the housing crisis. What will it mean for banks when the steadily declining REO inventory falls down to its "normal" pre-crisis level in less than two years, as is expected? What type of shifts or diversification is the mortgage industry experiencing right now as REO inventory continues to spiral downward? At the REO Lab at the 2015 Five Star Conference and Expo on Friday in Dallas, industry experts discussed how to get ahead and stay informed and equipped to take on the new REO marketplace. Team Thayer Real Estate News The first panel of the lab, "True State of REO: Market Analysis and Shadow Inventory," included Roger Beane, President and CEO of LRES Corporation; Sharon Bartlett, Director of Vendor Services at Freddie Mac; and Clay Lehman, Principal, Resolute Asset Management. Beane said the future of REO, and of housing in general, could be...