The future of home equity: Melissa Macerato discusses opportunities for seniors, wealth preservation and responsible homeowner solutions 

The home equity market is evolving and seniors are at the center of a $14 trillion opportunity. Diego Sanchez sits down with Melissa Macerato, Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer at Longbridge Financial, to discuss how the company is helping older homeowners access and preserve their wealth responsibly. Melissa also shares insights from her own career journey and how it shapes her approach to leadership and the impact of Longbridge Financial. 

This conversation explores Longbridge’s innovative products, including HELOC for Seniors, Platinum preserve, and Peak and how they are addressing unmet needs in the home equity space. Melissa shares her perspective on the industry’s responsibility to guide seniors through a complex market and how Longbridge is helping set the standard for responsible lending solutions. 

“The mission at Longbridge is simple,” Macerato said. “We want to responsibly help older homeowners age in place and unlock their home equity in retirement. There’s over $14 trillion in untapped home equity, and we believe our programs can help retirees live a more fruitful and secure life.”

Macerato co-founded Longbridge with CEO Chris Mayer 13 years ago. “We started with just four employees,” she said. “Now we’re nearing 500 team members. We grew one state at a time, one license at a time, purely organic growth. Today, we’re the number one wholesale lender in the space and the number two overall lender in HMBS issuance.”

But she is most proud of the culture. “We’ve built an organization with people who have the utmost ethics and truly care about seniors. That culture has allowed us to innovate — to build products that serve more needs, more efficiently, and more compassionately.”

That innovation has recently taken shape in new proprietary products. “Just like there’s not one forward mortgage, there shouldn’t be one reverse mortgage,” Macerato explained. “Homeowners have different needs in retirement. Some want to preserve equity. Some want a line of credit. Some want more proceeds or a lower rate. Our Platinum products and new HELOC for seniors are designed to meet those needs.”

“You can get a HELOC online in less than five days,” she said. “It’s innovative not only in product design but also in how quickly and easily it’s delivered.”

Sanchez noted the growing importance of home equity in retirement planning. “Absolutely,” Macerato agreed. “Whether you’re modifying your home to age in place, helping a grandchild buy their first home, or paying off existing debt, reverse mortgages and senior equity products can help you live more comfortably. For many retirees, it’s not about extravagance — it’s about stability and peace of mind.”

While the reverse industry remains relatively small, Macerato said the potential is enormous. “Distribution is the barrier, not demand,” she said. “That’s why we’re partnering with forward mortgage lenders. Just as lenders create specialized products for first-time buyers, we need specialized products for retirees. Forward lenders already have the relationships, and we want to help them serve customers across all life stages.”

She believes this partnership model is the bridge to mainstream adoption. “Everyone understands a HELOC,” she said. “Our senior HELOC is a familiar entry point that helps forward loan officers begin conversations with older borrowers. It’s about enabling forward entities to serve the full customer lifecycle — from the first home to the last.”

When asked whether Longbridge might expand into forward mortgages, Macerato was clear: “We’re not a reverse specialist — we’re a company for seniors. Everything we do is about the 55-plus market. There are plenty of forward players out there. Our mission is to innovate and deliver products that empower older homeowners.”

Macerato reflected on the company’s next chapter. “We’re just getting started,” she said. “The opportunity to help seniors live with dignity, comfort, and confidence is enormous — and we’re proud to lead the way.”