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50 key to success in 2021, Michael Keaton said. "For example, there are states that have specific prohibitions with respect to MLO- licensed agents having their home as a branch office location. e need for social distancing forced us to move some of that work into remote locations. We need to work with our regulatory partners to reach a commonsense solution to better reflect a 21st-century world, embracing the reality that COVID-19 precautions will be with us for the foreseeable future." Several unknowns exist. Keaton asks, "What will happen when the CARES Act expires, will it be extended, or expanded with other regulation?" It is one of several questions about policy that, heading into 2021, remains unanswered. THE 'MARATHON' AHEAD Data from Black Knight show some 2.3 million mortgages that are 90 days or more delinquent. at's up 1.9 million from six months ago. Most of these are in forbearance plans, and many are being saved from foreclosure by nationwide moratoria. "e biggest long-term issue we're watching is the ballooning backlog of seriously delinquent mortgages that will need to be dealt with over the next several months and years," Blomquist said. "e final outcome for this backlog over the next year or two— whether that be a return to reperforming or some sort of distressed disposition—will have a significant impact on the mortgage and housing markets." How to handle customers that have been impacted by the virus could prove another long-term issue. "I like the deferral options we have been allowed to offer customers," Caruso said. ose programs are relatively simple and a great benefit to the customers and servicers. We made a strategic decision to require that every customer that wanted forbearance to discuss their situation with us, so we could explain the options and help them make the most appropriate choice." Courtney ompson says one of her concerns entering 2021 is potential burnout. Endurance, ompson says, is crucial. "We, and the industry, must remember that while the COVID-19 pandemic started with a bang, particularly for servicers, in order to keep up with the rapidly changing environment so that we can best help the COVID-19 consumer, we must remember the marathon runner—if you go too fast out of any gate, even if you like going fast, there will be burnout because there is a very long tail that is to come." Christina Hughes Babb is a reporter for DS News and MReport. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, she has been a reporter, editor, and publisher in the Dallas area for more than 15 years. During her 10 years at Advocate Media and Dallas Magazine, she published thousands of articles covering local politics, real estate, development, crime, the arts, entertainment, and human interest, among other topics. She has won two national Mayborn School of Journalism Ten Spurs awards for nonfiction, and has penned pieces for Texas Monthly, Salon.com, Dallas Observer, Edible, and the Dallas Morning News, among others. Cover Story By: Christina Hughes Babb "Five-year strategic plans were collapsed into rapid development plans across entire enterprises to deal with a confluence of market events." —Tim Rood, Head of Industry Relations, SitusAMC