General World News

EasyKnock, facing fire on multiple fronts, abruptly shuts down

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Residential sale-leaseback platform EasyKnock has abruptly shut down its operations after facing scrutiny from state regulators and being under fire from disgruntled consumers.  “After many years of serving consumers, EasyKnock has closed its doors,” a message on the company’s website states. “We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us to be part of […]

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HUD announces $72.6M in new Native American community grants

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday announced the disbursement of $72.6 million in new funding under the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program, adding up to $2 million to 38 individual community recipients to bolster housing development, expansion and preservation. The grant funds will be primarily deployed to bolster […]

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‘Emilia Perez,’ ‘The Brutalist’ lead Golden Globe film nominations 

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BEVERLY HILLS, California — Musical thriller “Emilia Perez” and historical epic “The Brutalist” led the roster of films nominated on Monday for the 2025 Golden Globes, the Hollywood honors that kick off the movie awards season leading to the Oscars. “Emilia Perez,” released by Netflix NFLX.O, scored 10 nods and “The Brutalist,” from independent distributor A24, […]

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Chris Whalen on ending GSE conservatorships: The mortgage industry ‘will unite to oppose‘

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In the newest episode of the HousingWire Daily podcast, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler sits down with author and investment banker Chris Whalen to explore the potential pitfalls of ending the federal conservatorships of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. To start the […]

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FHA extends foreclosure moratorium for hurricane victims, partners with FEMA for future events

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Friday announced two new key responses to its ongoing disaster recovery efforts in the wake of an accelerating trend of extreme weather events. These include an extension of a foreclosure moratorium for victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as a new pre-disaster housing partnership with the Federal […]

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UWM boosts unsecured debt offering to $800M

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UWM Holdings Corp., the parent company of leading U.S. mortgage lender United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), has raised $800 million through an unsecured debt offering, a 60% increase from its initial plan.  The offering, targeted at qualified investors, priced at 6.625% with senior notes due in 2030. These notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis […]

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Mr. Cooper’s Jay Bray explores servicing book growth, tech enhancements for 2025

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In this week’s episode of the Power House podcast, Mr. Cooper CEO Jay Bray joins HousingWire president Diego Sanchez for a conversation centered on balanced servicing and origination activities in the mortgage space. The duo explore Mr. Cooper’s growth initiatives, artificial intelligence (AI) usage for revenue growth and the future of the mortgage business. The […]

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How Emerging Technologies Are Shaping the Future of Mortgage and Real Estate

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The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2025 Tech100 Award are open now through December 16, 2024. Click here to nominate a tech organization. The mortgage and real estate industries are on the cusp of a technological revolution, with emerging innovations like […]

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Splitero secures $350M in funding from Blue Owl Capital

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As consumer debt reaches all-time highs and the cost of living continues to escalate, home equity investment fintech Splitero on Thursday announced a purchase commitment from funds managed by asset manager Blue Owl Capital. Per a release from the companies, Blue Owl’s alternative credit strategy funds will purchase up to $350 million of home equity […]

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The mortgage industry’s experience revolution: Balancing cost, capability, and customer expectations

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In my previous article, we examined whether technology is the problem rather than the solution in the mortgage industry. Despite significant investments to streamline workflows and reduce costs, the industry continues to face escalating origination expenses and cyclical workforce adjustments. This raises a new question: If technology alone isn’t the cure-all, what should the industry […]

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Japan’s sake joins UNESCO’s cultural heritage list

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LUQUE, PARAGUAY — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It’s brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan’s culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list […]

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Reverse mortgage pros sound off on 2025 HECM limit

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced last week that the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) limit for 2025 will be $1,209,750. It’s the ninth straight year that the limit will increase based on home-price appreciation levels, which feeds into a single, national limit for all HECM loans. While the increased limit theoretically increases the borrowing […]

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UWM debuts new 60-bps incentive program

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Michigan-based United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) has launched a new pricing incentive, offering 60 basis points (bps) to its broker partners for the next 60 days, a period when mortgage market activity typically slows due to the holiday season.  The program, dubbed “60bps for 60 Days,” applies to both conventional and government loans and is available […]

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FHA will implement modern borrower default engagement practices

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Wednesday published Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2024-24, which implements guidance first floated this past summer to open up communications between mortgage lenders and defaulted borrowers to remote and electronic methods. This is designed to broaden the ways for borrowers to meet with lenders following the success of remote communications on […]

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Mortgage delinquencies are rising. FHA borrowers are feeling the impact

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After hitting a historic low point in 2023, mortgage delinquency rates have been climbing rapidly in recent quarters, particularly within the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) portfolio. The shift is being driven by a combination of factors, including macroeconomic pressures, the impact of natural disasters, and rising property insurance premiums and taxes. Certain borrower groups are […]

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Notre Dame reopens amid French political turmoil

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PARIS — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. first lady Jill Biden are among global dignitaries expected in Paris Saturday as the city’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral reopens five years after a massive fire. Trump’s visit to Paris is expected to be his first foreign trip since winning the election last month. U.S. President Joe Biden […]

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Mortgage demand rises amid lowest rates in a month

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Mortgage applications increased 2.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis during the week ending Nov. 29 as borrowers took advantage of improved inventory levels and the lowest mortgage rates in a month, according to data released Wednesday by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Purchase loan activity drove total applications higher last week, which included an adjustment […]

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Many former X users migrate to Bluesky social media platform

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Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform, recently experienced significant growth, surpassing 22 million users. The surge is attributed to users migrating from X due to their dissatisfaction with changes under Elon Musk’s ownership. Andrei Dziarkach has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: David Gogokhia details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: […]

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Reverse mortgage metrics show little movement in November

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While there has been something of a “yo-yo” of gains and losses in the reverse mortgage industry’s performance metrics for the past several months, some mixed signals on the horizon — such as higher interest rates that could depress origination volumes along with the potential implementation of HMBS 2.0 — leave 2024 winding down in […]

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Small drop in mortgage rates a good sign for December

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If housing industry professionals are looking for an early Christmas gift, they might receive it in the next two weeks if key economic indicators move in the right direction. At HousingWire’s Mortgage Rates Center on Tuesday, the 30-year conforming rate averaged 6.98%. That was down 4 basis points (bps) from a week ago and the […]

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Driving Innovation: How Tech100 honoree CLARIFIRE is shaping the future of mortgage tech

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The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2025 Tech100 Award are open now through December 16, 2024. Click here to nominate a tech organization. As the mortgage world continues to see rapid tech advancements, staying ahead of the curve requires more than just keeping […]