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Tech Pulse: Realtor.com adds property tax appeal; PropStream expands lead generation

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Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology — including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: Realtor.com adds property tax appeal tool with Ownwell integration Realtor.com now offers property tax monitoring and appeals through a new partnership with Ownwell. With rising homeownership costs, this […]

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11 mortgage lead generation ideas to build your client base

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Lead generation for mortgage brokers and officers is all about consistently filling your pipeline with individuals who are interested in buying a home now or in the future. Considering the fluctuating state of the housing market and inflated mortgage rates, it’s even more crucial to showcase your expertise and amazing service to bring qualified clients […]

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Westcor joins Fannie Mae title waiver pilot

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Westcor Land Title Insurance Co. is now the second title vendor taking part in Fannie Mae‘s title insurance waiver pilot program. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte announced the move in a social media post. The waiver pilot, relaunched by Fannie Mae in March 2024, allows approved mortgage lenders to use an automated […]

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House Democrats push back on crypto legislation with ‘anti-corruption’ efforts

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), announced on Friday that next week will be known as “Anti-Crypto Corruption Week.” During this time, they plan to rally Democrats to push back against Republican efforts to fast-track three pieces of legislation related to cryptocurrency — the “Clarity Act,” the “GENIUS Act” and a bill […]

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Mortgage delinquencies are rising as homeownership costs pile up

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Rising property taxes, insurance payments and growing delinquencies are eroding the promise of long-term stability in homeownership, according to a new blog from Cotality. The post revealed that across the country, more people are starting to fall behind on their mortgages due to the post-purchase costs. These include property taxes and homeowners insurance, both of […]

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Bilt raises $250M to expand into mortgages, with backing from UWM

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Bilt, which operates a loyalty program and credit card that converts rent payments into points, has secured a $250 million funding round led by General Catalyst and GID, with participation from United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), the nation’s largest mortgage lender. The funding brings Bilt’s valuation to $10.75 billion and will fuel expansion across the broader […]

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Trade groups applaud Jonathan Gould’s confirmation to OCC

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On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Jonathan Gould as head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in a 50-45 vote. The confirmation marks another Trump administration appointee who supports more lenient oversight of the banking sector and a more welcoming stance toward cryptocurrency. Gould previously held roles at the OCC during […]

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Fairway pledges $1M toward Texas flood relief

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Fairway Home Mortgage announced this week that it’s donating $1 million to the ongoing relief efforts following catastrophic flooding in Texas. Fairway has a large presence in Texas, where at least 170 people are known to be missing in the epicenter of Kerr County as a result of the flooding, according to CBS News. Nearly […]

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Panorama Mortgage Group expands TPO presence with Travisa Financial launch

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Panorama Mortgage Group, a multichannel mortgage company headquartered in Las Vegas, announced Thursday the launch of Travisa Financial, a dba that expands the company’s reach within the third-party origination (TPO) space. “Travisa gives us the opportunity to expand our reach to brokers and lenders who share our purpose; helping first-time buyers and underserved communities build […]

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GTCR purchases majority stake in Clear Capital

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Private equity firm GTCR announced on Tuesday that it has made a significant investment in national real estate analytics and data solutions company Clear Capital. As part of the investment, GTCR is partnering with Clear Capital co-founder and CEO Duane Andrews. The transaction represents Clear Capital’s first outside investment, with GTCR becoming the company’s majority […]

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Purchase applications, VA refinances soar in latest MBA data

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Mortgage applications increased 9.4% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 4, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 13% compared with the previous week. Last week’s results included an adjustment for the Independence Day holiday. The seasonally adjusted […]

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HUD offers foreclosure relief to Texans saddled by floods

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Scott Turner, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), announced on Tuesday a 90-day foreclosure moratorium for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured single-family mortgages in the areas of Kerr County, Texas, that have been devastated by recent severe storms, including wind and flood damage. The 90-day moratorium prohibits mortgage servicers from […]

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Capital One shuts down Discover’s home equity and refinance business

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Capital One Financial Corp. has decided to shut down the home equity and refinance operations it inherited through its acquisition of Discover Financial Services, the company confirmed this week. The decision comes roughly two months after Capital One finalized its all-stock, $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover, originally announced in February 2024. Home Equity Lending News […]

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Pulte says GSEs will accept VantageScore 4.0 immediately

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Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), announced via social media on Tuesday that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will with immediate effect accept the VantageScore 4.0 credit model. The government-sponsored enterprises, however, will continue to consider credit scores from three bureaus, called tri-merge scores.  Since he joined the FHFA, Pulte […]

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Dunmor launches wholesale broker division led by Zeenat Zonte

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Zeenat Zonte “I am thrilled to lead Dunmor’s new wholesale broker division and empower our broker partners with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Zonte. “Together, we will unlock new opportunities for growth and set a new standard for excellence in the wholesale lending space.” The broker division offers a full suite […]

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FHA seeks input on buy now, pay later lending

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has opened a request for information on buy now, pay later (BNPL) lending as it seeks to understand its implications for housing affordability and stability. Comments are due by Aug. 25. These installment loans — often referred to as “phantom debt” — gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among […]

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ICE: Student debt, negative equity fuel pockets of mortgage risk

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A rise in negative equity and exposure to student debt are creating “pockets of vulnerability” for U.S. homeowners. That’s according to ICE Mortgage Technology‘s July 2025 Mortgage Monitor report released on Monday. The resumption of student loan payments and collection efforts on defaulted federal student loans in May, following a five-year pause, could increase financial […]

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Armando Falcon on the FHFA’s move toward crypto mortgages

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It’s been just over a week since Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to start preparing for the use of cryptocurrency in single-family mortgages. With limited guidance beyond the FHFA’s directive, mortgage originators and industry experts are working to assess how cryptocurrency could be applied to mortgages. […]

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Cornerstone Capital Bank and Tresidio Homes announce joint venture

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Cornerstone Capital Bank and Tresidio Homes on Thursday announced the launch of Table Rock Mortgage, a joint venture mortgage brokerage. The new Idaho-licensed brokerage will provide mortgage services to local homebuyers “with goals of promoting affordability and streamlining the mortgage process for homebuyers,” according to press release from the companies. “This joint venture brings together […]

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Reverse mortgage metrics dipped slightly in June

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The high mortgage rates that have stymied the broader housing market continue to put a lid on reverse mortgage activity too. According to the June report from Reverse Mortgage Insight, Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements dropped to 2,244 loans, down 2.3% compared to May and part of a sinking trend that resumed after an […]

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FHFA wants crypto in mortgages. Lenders have questions

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Just a week ago, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte issued a directive for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to begin preparing their businesses for the use of cryptocurrency in single-family mortgages. In response, originators are weighing the potential hurdles for offering crypto-backed loans. Despite crypto’s promise, its extreme volatility poses risks, including […]

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Foundation Mortgage offers July pricing incentive for brokers

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Florida-based lender Foundation Mortgage announced on Wednesday the launch of its Stars, Stripes & Submissions Broker Challenge — a limited-time pricing incentive for July that was created to reward brokers for delivering funded loans in June. The promotion offers mortgage brokers the chance to earn exclusive pricing credits on eligible nonqualified mortgages (non-QMs) that are […]

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Truv and Tidalwave announce point-of-sale integration

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Truv, a provider of direct-to-source income, employment and asset verifications, on Wednesday announced a strategic integration with Tidalwave, an AI-powered mortgage point-of-sale platform. Per a press release from Truv, the integration “embeds Truv’s advanced verification capabilities directly into Tidalwave’s mortgage application flow,” establishing a seamless verification process that reduces preapproval times and improves conversion rates. […]

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Lower mortgage rates are driving refinance applications

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Lower mortgage rates drove a 2.7% increase in mortgage applications from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 27, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 13% compared with the previous week. Last week’s results included an adjustment for the […]

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What’s in Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ for seniors?

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President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is headed back to the House for reconciliation after passing the Senate with a tiebreaking vote from Vice President JD Vance. The 1,116-page multitrillion-dollar bill contains some key changes for older Americans, including a senior bonus tax deduction that would offset taxes on Social Security. But the bill also […]

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Argyle announces verification of assets through Finicity

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Argyle, a service provider automating income and employment verifications, recently announced the availability of verification of assets (VOA) powered by Mastercard’s open finance technology. A release from Argyle says that the expanded offering allows lenders to confirm borrowers’ balances, cash-to-close and cash-flow history alongside income and employment. By combining direct-source banking data from Mastercard’s U.S. […]

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Rocket completes Redfin deal, announces Rocket Preferred Pricing

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Rocket Companies announced on Tuesday the completion of its acquisition of Redfin after Rocket announced in March it agreed to purchase the digital real estate brokerage in an all-stock transaction valued at $1.75 billion in equity. The transaction faced no opposition from antitrust regulators and received approval from Redfin shareholders on June 4. “I’ve used […]

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Dark Matter establishes integration with UCDP

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Dark Matter Technologies announced on Tuesday that it has established an integration with the Uniform Collateral Data Portal (UCDP), a single portal jointly maintained by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. According to a release from Dark Matter, the expansion positions the mortgage technology company as an early adopter of the technology required to support the […]

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NAMB issues support for CHLA white paper on LO compensation

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The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) on Monday issued a letter of support for the Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA)’s white paper on LO compensation reform. CHLA‘s white paper, released last week, urged Congress to roll back the loan originator compensation rule to focus on its original purpose — a ban on yield […]

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Allen Beydoun becomes UWM’s first chief client officer

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United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) on Monday announced that Allen Beydoun is taking the reins as the company’s first chief client officer. In his new role, Beydoun will be responsible for “aligning strategic initiatives with client needs, ensuring that the voice of the client remains central to every decision the company makes while elevating the client […]

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Manual income verification is killing your commissions

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In a market where every deal counts, manual income verification is the silent killer of commissions. You know the scenario: the borrower is solid, the property appraises and everything looks good—until income verification turns into a bottleneck. Suddenly, you’re chasing paystubs, waiting on HR reps who don’t call back and explaining delays to a frustrated […]

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Better Mortgage’s AI revolution: How Better is empowering loan officers, not replacing them

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In an era where technology often threatens to overshadow human roles, Better Mortgage is charting a different course. By developing in-house AI tools designed to complement rather than replace human expertise, the company is enhancing the mortgage experience for both borrowers and loan officers.  Already, its AI Loan Agent, Betsy, handles over 125,000 customer interactions […]

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Tech Pulse: Fannie, Freddie move on fintech, crypto, fraud prevention

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Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology — including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac jointly create U.S. Financial Technology Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have launched U.S. Financial Technology LLC to replace Common Securitization Solutions. The […]

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FHA rescinds 12 policies as Trump administration pushes to cut red tape

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As part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to cut regulatory burdens, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Friday announced the rescission of 12 policies related to appraisal protocols, underwriter employment, flood risk management and other areas.  Scott Turner, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees the FHA, […]