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CHLA supports changes to CFPB loan originator compensation rule

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The Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) submitted a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in support of changes to the loan originator compensation rule, telling CFPB Director Rohit Chopra that the current rule’s “inflexibility” in certain areas is a “detriment” to consumers. The letter calls for increased flexibility in LO compensation restrictions, […]

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Announcing the 2023 Class of Rising Stars!

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HousingWire is excited to announce the 2023 class of Rising Stars! In its tenth year, this industry award is showcasing the up-and-coming leaders in housing who have had major accomplishments all before the age of 40. They help run major corporations, and are the entrepreneurs building tomorrow’s great businesses. They work in any and every […]

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Beyond TRID: Safeguarding compliance on every loan

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Phillip McCall: While there are many potential reasons for this, among them may be that some lenders are getting more aggressive in expanding the credit box to qualify every borrower possible and help them get into homes. In addition, many may be offering products they haven’t offered in some time, such as With lenders competing […]

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Opinion: Setting the record straight on mortgage pricing

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Recently, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a statement clarifying the agency’s rationale for changes to loan level pricing adjustment (LLPA) fees going into effect on May 1. The changes have created some controversy due to the fact that better credit quality borrowers will experience higher fees after May 1 than under […]

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JPMorgan Chase to acquire First Republic Bank

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Less than two months after the abrupt failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, federal regulators seized First Republic Bank and sold it to JPMorgan Chase Bank. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and JP Morgan are also entering into a loss-share transaction on single family, residential and commercial loans it purchased from the  […]

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Housing Market Tracker: Spring inventory grows

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New listing inventory hasn’t recovered since last year’s big The spring housing market music is playing, and purchase application data and active listing inventory rose together last week. The fear of not having an increase in inventory this spring should be put to rest. The other focus should be where mortgage rates go; only a […]

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Growing Demand in US to Censor Library Books

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The American Library Association says there were a record number of demands to censor U.S. library books last year, nearly double the challenges from the previous year. For VOA, Deana Mitchell takes us to a Texas town that is considering closing its library to block a court ruling ordering the return of banned books. details […]

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Welcome to Washington’s First Alcohol-Free Bar

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While a clear majority of Americans still drink alcohol, many others choose to skip it.. As the US marks April as Alcohol Awareness month, the nondrinkers in Washington can head to a perfect bar, called Binge Bar – Washington’s first booze-free bar. Karina Bafradzhian has the story. Video: David Gogokhia details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this […]

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Wells Fargo teams up with Dallas megachurch to build “inclusive communities”

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Wells Fargo and T.D. Jakes Group announced a 10-year partnership aimed at “revitalizing neighborhoods” and creating long-term change in communities most in need. The announcement comes a year after Bloomberg reported that only 47% of Black homeowners who completed a refinance application with Wells Fargo in 2020 were approved, compared with 72% of white homeowners. […]

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DocMagic adds ADA-compliant loan documents to its library

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Digital lending solutions provider DocMagic announced this week that it has added ADA-compliant mortgage loan documents to its document library. The new digital documents are accessible to visually impaired users and others with disabilities, unlocking opportunities for these consumers into the broader mortgage market. “Much of modern lending technology is designed to give consumers the […]

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Pennymac delivers $30M profit in Q1

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California-based Pennymac Financial Services reported gains in its servicing portfolio that offset losses with its origination activity in the first quarter of 2023, allowing the company to deliver an overall profit in the period.  However, Pennymac’s profitability declined compared to the previous quarter amid a still-challenging mortgage market. The company reported on Thursday its net income came […]

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Institutional SFR players are stuck in the doldrums

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The largest institutional single-family rental (SFR) operator in the country, Invitation Homes, is in the hot seat over its alleged failure to comply with building-permit requirements for rental properties it owns in California. Another larger player in the space, Progress Residential, recently postponed a securitization transaction due to difficult market conditions. And yet another big force […]

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Mortgage rates increase ahead of Fed’s meeting

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Mortgage rates are trending up ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting next week, with the FOMC expected to increase the federal funds rate. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows the 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.43% as of April 27, up four basis points from last week and 133 basis points from this […]

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New CFPB guidance takes aim at ‘zombie mortgages’

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued guidance this week for debt collectors seeking to foreclose on homes with mortgages past the statute of limitations, also known as “zombie mortgages.” The guidance comes in the form of an advisory opinion pertaining to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and implementation of Regulation F. The […]

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Jerry Springer, Politician-Turned-TV Ringmaster, Dies at 79

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Jerry Springer, the onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional families willing to bare all on weekday afternoons including brawls, obscenities and blurred images of nudity, died Thursday at 79. At its peak, “The Jerry Springer Show” was a ratings powerhouse and a U.S. cultural pariah, synonymous […]

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Yoon’s ‘American Pie’ Stuns Biden

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From discussing nuclear war to belting out a beloved hit: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s White House visit ended on a high note when he sang Don McLean’s “American Pie” to great applause.    Yoon is on a six-day state visit to Washington, where he discussed with U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday “the end” […]

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Jolie, Salonga, Chloe Kim Glam Up State Dinner for SKorea

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Actor Angelina Jolie, home improvement duo Chip and Joanna Gaines and Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim headlined the list of big names from politics, business, sports and entertainment glamming up a fancy black-tie dinner that U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Wednesday for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Broadway’s Lea Salonga, one of the night’s entertainers, […]

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Fugees Rapper ‘Pras’ Found Guilty of Political Conspiracy

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A Fugees rapper accused in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies spanning two presidencies was convicted Wednesday after a trial that included testimony from such witnesses as actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.  Prakazrel “Pras” Michel was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financer through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection […]

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On Q Financial to form JV with former New Rez partners

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Arizona-based lender On Q Financial will form a multi-partner mortgage banking joint venture with HomeCo Partners, a consortium of real estate brokerages and a builder, HousingWire has learned. HomeCo Partners had created a JV with New Rez, which is permanently winding down. The JV, named Partners United Mortgage, has partners consisting of real estate brokerages […]

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DataDigest: Correcting the LLPA false claims

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Your social media feed right now is probably abuzz with claims that the FHFA’s new loan level pricing adjustments (LLPAs) on conventional mortgages favor buyers with bad credit over buyers with great credit.  “A 620 FICO score gets a 1.75% fee discount and a 740 FICO score pays a 1% fee” reads one screenshot from […]

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Mr. Cooper’s origination segment is back to profitability  

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Mr. Cooper Group‘s profits strongly increased in the first quarter of 2023, as forecasted by its executives. The servicing portfolio again propelled the quarterly performance, but this time, the origination segment also contributed to the results by returning to profitability. The company reported on Wednesday that it delivered $37 million in net income from January […]

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STG Mortgage implements OptifiNow’s TPO CRM solution

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STG Mortgage has successfully implemented OptifiNow‘s TPO CRM solution, according to a press release from the software provider. STG Mortgage, based in Orange County, California, said it opted for OptifiNow’s TPO because it provided an out-of-the-box solution for the company’s wholesale division that was seamlessly integrated with its loan origination system (LOS). Nectar Kalajian, CEO […]

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Nevada’s Carlene Pacheco Named 2023 ‘Recognizing Inspiring School Employees’ (RISE) Awardee

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U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced today the selection of Carlene Pacheco, paraprofessional, Title VI liaison, and family service specialist at Churchill County High School in the Churchill County School District in Fallon, Nevada, as the 2023 Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) awardee.    details ⇒ BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web […]

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Pope Allows Women to Vote at Upcoming Bishops’ Meeting

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Pope Francis has decided to give women the right to vote at an upcoming meeting of bishops, an historic reform that reflects his hopes to give women greater decision-making responsibilities and laypeople more say in the life of the Catholic Church. Francis approved changes to the norms governing the Synod of Bishops, a Vatican body […]

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Home loan demand increases despite higher mortgage rates

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Higher mortgage rates did not scare away potential homeowners last week. Borrower demand for home loans increased across the board, despite rates being at their highest level in over a month.  “There are still so many borrowers looking to purchase a home. Plenty of buyers, but not enough homes for sale,” California-based mortgage loan officer Dan Stone, […]

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CFPB, DOJ warn AI advances are not an excuse to break laws

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Representatives of federal enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are warning that the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology do not give license to break existing laws pertaining to civil rights, fair competition, consumer protection […]

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Updated College Scorecard Will Help Students Find High Value Postsecondary Programs

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By: Roberto J. Rodríguez, Assistant Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development We need a system that’s inclusive, that delivers value, and that produces equitable outcomes. We need transparency in data more now than ever before. – Secretary Miguel Cardona The U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard is a free online tool to help […]

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Rocket’s Karan Kaul plans to prioritize affordability for low-income buyers

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Rocket Central’s new vice president of public policy, Karan Kaul, plans to prioritize homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers, households of color, low- and moderate-income households that have historically found it difficult to access mortgage credit. As such, Rocket will continue to offer its special purpose credit programs, which allow first-time homebuyers to receive funds toward […]

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FACT SHEET: House Republican Proposals Hurt Children, Students, and Borrowers, and Undermine Education

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Congressional Republicans are holding the nation’s full faith and credit hostage in an effort to impose devastating cutbacks that would hurt children and undermine education, raise costs for hardworking families, and set back economic growth. And they are demanding these slashes while separately advancing proposals to add over $3 trillion to deficits through tax giveaways […]

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New home sales rose by 9.6% in March

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New home sales posted yet another increase in March, rising 9.6% from February to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 683,000 homes, according to data published on Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This is the fourth straight month of new home sales increases. On a year-over -year basis, however, new home sales […]

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Harry Belafonte, Activist and Entertainer, Dies at 96

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Harry Belafonte, the civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world, has died. He was 96. Belafonte died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his New York home, his wife Pamela by his side, said Paula M. Witt, of public […]

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UWM moves to dismiss AML’s antitrust claim 

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United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) has moved to dismiss an amended counterclaim filed by broker shop America’s MoneyLine (AML) that accuses the lender of antitrust practices regarding the “ultimatum” it imposed two years ago.  UWM’s motion to dismiss, filed on April 19 in Michigan federal court, states that the dispute is not an antitrust case, as […]

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‘Dancing With the Stars’ Judge Len Goodman Dies at 78

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Len Goodman, the urbane, long-serving judge on “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing,” has died, his agent said Monday. He was 78.  Agent Jackie Gill said Goodman “passed away peacefully,” without giving a cause.  A former dancer and British champion, Goodman was a judge on “Strictly Come Dancing” for 12 years from its […]

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Housing Market Tracker: Inventory finally rises

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New listing data hasn’t recovered since last year’s big Can we now say that the housing market‘s spring selling season is finally underway? Since 2020, the seasonal bottom for housing inventory has arrived several months later than normal, making it more complicated to track housing inventory data. Still, we have some promising signs that we […]

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‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Is No. 1 for Third Week

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“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” continued to rack up coins at the box office, leading ticket sales for the third straight weekend, as the animation hit neared $1 billion after just 18 days in theaters. The weekend’s top new release, the horror reboot “Evil Dead Rise” debuted solidly, launching with $23.5 million, according to studio […]