Older Americans hold more than $14 trillion in home equity — nearly half the size of the U.S. economy. And while seniors can benefit from tapping their equity through a reverse mortgage product, they can also use the loan proceeds to help family members who might be struggling to afford homeownership. Earlier this week, The […]
In the third quarter of 2025, 1.77 million mortgages were issued on residential properties with one to four units, representing a decrease of 1.6% from the previous quarter but a 1.9% increase from the same period last year. That’s according to ATTOM‘s Q3 2025 U.S. Residential Property Mortgage Origination Report, released on Thursday. The company’s […]
Mortgage technology startup Tidalwave has raised $22 million in a Series A funding round to expand the market share of its agentic artificial intelligence (AI)-powered point-of-sale platform, the company announced Friday. The round was led by Permanent Capital, with participation from homebuilder D.R. Horton and Engineering Capital., bringing Tidalwave’s total funding to $24 million. Tidalwave […]
As someone who’s spent decades in the mortgage trenches—and as one of the owners of a $1 billion independent mortgage banking company—I’ve seen a few sunrises and sunsets in this industry. The 2008 crisis. Conservatorship. Waves of QE. Worsening LLPA’s. Adverse market fees. The pandemic housing chaos. Two percent refinances. The fastest rate spike in […]
Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners has entered into a strategic partnership with Southeast Mortgage of Georgia — linking the state’s largest real estate franchise with its largest non-bank mortgage lender. Leaders say the agreement is intended to streamline the home buying and selling process by coordinating lending and real estate services through shared technology and […]
As artificial intelligence (AI) stocks like Nvidia, Oracle, Palantir and Tesla are swelling, fear of an AI stock bubble has created divisions on concerns that may loom on the horizon. One plausible outcome that investors are reckoning with is what lies in store for their retirement accounts, but TIAA CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett says that […]
Guaranteed Rate Affinity, a joint venture between Guaranteed Rate Inc. and Anywhere Integrated Services, on Thursday announced the promotion of Jaime Joyce to chief operations and strategy officer. Joyce, who has been in the mortgage industry for more than two decades, began her career as a processor in 2002. She most recently served as the […]
A system designed for purposeEvery mortgage market is patchwork. Rules, products, and features exist because of past events, a crisis, a policy choice, or a market failure. The result is a structure that reflects history more than design. That doesn’t make it bad, but it does mean we carry baggage that limits what the system […]
The plaintiffs in the Taylor Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) suit filed against Zillow in mid-September filed an amended complaint on Wednesday. The amended complaint contains testimony from a dozen anonymous current and former Zillow-affiliated loan officers and agents that corroborate the claims made by the 10 homeowner plaintiffs. The latest complaint maintains the […]
Wealthfront, a fintech known for low-cost investing and savings products, is entering the mortgage business. The California-headquartered company announced Wednesday that was offering early access to Wealthfront Home Lending, which offers mortgages through the company’s automated, software-driven platform. The product is currently available for a limited number of Wealthfront clients who plan to buy or […]
The top leadership positions at Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) have been empty for most of the past year, but the long wait to fill the seats may soon come to an end. On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs advanced the nominations of Joseph Gormley as president […]
CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) issued $600 million in debt, primarily to repay an outstanding mortgage servicing rights (MSR) line of credit, among other general corporate purposes, the company announced Tuesday. The transaction, handled through its parent company CrossCountry Intermediate HoldCo., priced the notes at 6.75%. The senior notes are due in 2032 and will be guaranteed […]
President Donald Trump has submitted to the Senate the nomination of Stuart Levenbach, an associate director at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to serve as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). While some observers said the nomination comes at a “critical time” for consumers, others see the move as […]
Mortgage applications slumped 5.2% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Nov. 14. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 7% compared with the previous week. The refinance index decreased 7% from the previous week but was 125% higher than the […]
Amid legal chaos and a revamp of its leadership team, NEXA Lending announced on Wednesday the completion of its C-Suite with the addition of Von Maharaj as its chief financial officer. Maharaj brings nearly two decades of financial services experience, starting as a recruiter for accounting and finance professionals before transitioning into mortgage operations at Bear Stearns. […]
Facing what they describe as a broad request for information (RFI) on potential changes to federal reverse mortgage programs, industry experts are focusing on two pressing issues: mortgage insurance and liquidity constraints. In October, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Ginnie Mae, issued an […]
Why innovation matters now In today’s market conditions, lenders who identify strategic opportunities and innovate their operations now stand to gain a competitive advantage. Historically successful lenders have accomplished this by focusing on customer experience, operational efficiencies and the agility to pivot when markets shift. But innovation doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel; it […]
Figure Technology Solutions Inc. filed a registration statement on Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a proposed public offering of its Series A Blockchain Common Stock, marking the launch of the first blockchain-native public equity security. Figure‘s offering introduces several industry firsts, which could make it a model for future issuances. The […]
ATTOM released its October 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, showing 36,766 properties with foreclosure filings — including default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions — a 3% increase from September and more than a 19% increase from a year ago. October marked the eighth straight month of year-over-year foreclosure activity increases, with completed foreclosures up […]
A group of Senate Democrats has asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte and other employees over criminal referrals against several public figures as they seek to determine whether federal authority and resources were misused. In a letter sent Monday to Gene Dodaro, the Comptroller General […]
Tidalwave, an agentic AI mortgage technology startup integrated with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, recently announced the hiring of Jason Cao as chief operating officer. Cao, an early investor in Tidalwave two years ago, was most recently COO at CertiK, where he helped build it into a unicorn as the world’s largest blockchain security company. […]
Independent mortgage banks (IMBs) and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported stronger profits in the third quarter of 2025, as higher production revenue outpaced rising expenses. That’s according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Quarterly Mortgage Bankers Performance Report, released Tuesday. IMBs recorded an average pretax net production profit of $1,201 on each loan they […]
With only six weeks left in 2025, mortgage rates continue to stabilize in the mid-6% range. And while rates remain higher than many housing professionals and consumers would like, weekly pending home sales are 15% higher than they were a year ago. Mortgage News Daily reported 30-year fixed rates averaged 6.38% on Monday, up 4 bps […]
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s defense repeatedly emphasized that she had no intent to defraud as an argument central to refuting allegations that she misrepresented the occupancy of three properties to obtain more favorable mortgage terms, according to a letter sent by her attorney to the Department of Justice (DOJ). In early September, the DOJ […]
Top-five U.S. reverse mortgage lender Longbridge Financial announced Tuesday that it’s making changes to its Platinum proprietary product suite — including a lower interest rate of 7.99% and a higher principal limit factor that allows borrowers to tap more of their home equity. This week’s changes were precipitated by the company’s desire to help more […]
The share of mortgage with critical defects rose for the second straight quarter as more borrowers tapped home equity through cash-out refinances. That’s according to ACES Quality Management‘s QC Industry Trends Report for the second quarter of 2025. The report, which was released Tuesday and analyzes post-closing quality control data derived from the company’s software, […]
Former Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler is said to have engaged in several financial transactions that violated the central bank’s ethics rules, multiple outlets have reported. That’s according to filings made public by the Office of Government Ethics on Nov. 15. They revealed that Kugler filed the disclosures in September. The forms show that Federal […]
Mortgage applications for new-home purchases decreased 2.6% compared to a year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Builder Application Survey data for October 2025. Compared to the month prior, applications decreased by 1%. MBA noted that this change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns. “Lower mortgage rates, ongoing usage of […]
The 2025 U.S. housing market has been marked by high mortgage rates, elevated home prices and economic uncertainty, but a new HomeLight survey of loan officers at 80 top lending companies found that despite the negatives, most lenders are optimistic about their near-term prospects. More than 85% of survey respondents expect mortgage originations to rise […]
Consumer-direct non-QM lender Griffin Funding on Monday announced that John Jones has been named as senior vice president of growth and EOS integrator. Jones, who has served as the company’s fractional integrator and chief operating officer since April 2025, will take on the new role effective Dec. 1. “John has brought tremendous structure and clarity […]
Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology news, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: Redfin puts forth AI chat tool for home searches Redfin has launched a new AI-powered “conversational home search” on its website, allowing users to find homes through natural […]
Figure Technology Solutions reached $2.5 billion in consumer loan marketplace volume in the third quarter of 2025 — a 70% year-over-year increase, the company reported Thursday in its first earnings release since going public. Most of Figure’s volume continues to come from home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). New product categories — including crypto-backed loans, […]
Earlier this month, title and real estate services company Stewart Information Services Corp., owned by SISCO Holdings, agreed to acquire the mortgage services of property preservation provider Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS) for $330 million. The transaction, which expands Stewart’s suite of services in the property preservation arena, supports default servicing while providing MCS with additional capital to invest in other […]
Rice Park Capital’s agreement to acquire Rosegate Mortgage highlights the increasing focus among mortgage companies on recapture opportunities. But industry executives say the economics of this strategy have grown more challenging amid intensifying competition. In its latest move centered on recapture, private investment firm Rice Capital announced Friday that it’s buying retail and consumer-direct lender […]
The delinquency rate for mortgages on one- to-four-unit residential properties increased to a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.99% of all loans outstanding at the end of the third quarter of 2025, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s National Delinquency Survey. The delinquency rate increased by 6 basis points from Q2 2025 and by 7 […]
Minneapolis-based investment firm Rice Park Capital Management announced on Friday that it acquired Rosegate Mortgage LLC, a retail and consumer-direct mortgage lender based in Charlotte, N.C. Rice Park said the deal expands its capabilities across the mortgage value chain by supporting servicing-retention and recapture strategies while maintaining its work with originator partners. The acquisition allows […]
One of the most common themes in the mortgage industry is to point out its failure to adopt technology. It’s a complaint among pretty much everyone. Yet, as soon as ChatGPT launched to mainstream use this year, our industry (like everyone else) began the AI hype cycle. Today is a good day to ask the […]
Financial advisors warn that the first year of retirement often determines how long savings will last and whether homeowners can comfortably stay in their homes, according to reporting by Kiplinger. “The first year of retirement is one of the most defining periods in a person’s financial life,” said Renee Collins, founder of Retire Ready Inc., […]
Last month, American Pacific Mortgage (APM) announced a leadership transition as the company nears its 30th anniversary. The company’s longtime chairman and former president and CEO, Bill Lowman, said he plans to retire after more than two decades with APM. As part of the leadership transition, Ned Payant, APM’s former CEO, stepped into the role of […]
Mortgage fraud risk increased 8.2% year-over-year, with an estimated 1 in 118 applications showing indications of fraud. That’s according to Cotality’s Q3 2025 National Mortgage Application Fraud Risk Index, released on Thursday. While mortgage fraud risk increased on an annual basis, it dropped by 2.7% from the previous quarter, Cotality said. The index, which measures quarterly […]
Slip out the back, Jack!Make a new plan, Stan. You don’t need to be coy, Roy. Just get yourself free. As Paul Simon sang in the song “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” just change the word “Lover” to “50-Year Mortgage,” and you have some really good advice. Being free of too much debt is key. The 50-year […]
Better Home & Finance Holding Company (Better) reported Q3 2025 revenue of about $44 million, matching the prior quarter and up from $29 million a year earlier, the company said Thursday. “This was a pivotal quarter for Better as we set the stage for our next chapter of growth,” said Vishal Garg, CEO and founder […]
Bill Pulte said this week that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) may allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to offer assumable or portable mortgages — part of ongoing discussions inside the Trump administration on ways to address housing affordability. “At Fannie and Freddie, we are evaluating how to do assumable or portable mortgages, in […]
As the White House and federal housing officials float backing 50-year fixed-rate mortgages as a potential tool to ease U.S. housing affordability, the proposal has drawn quick praise from some quarters and sharp criticism from housing economists and industry groups. The idea surfaced publicly this month when President Donald Trump shared an image on Truth […]
Fannie Mae officials who were recently removed from their positions were investigating whether Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte improperly obtained mortgage records of Democratic officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Fannie Mae’s ethics and investigations team had received internal complaints that senior officials […]