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Ginnie Mae has introduced new cybersecurity incident reporting requirements, the government-owned enterprise announced on Monday. The initiative underscores Ginnie Mae’s commitment to bolstering its companywide information security, business continuity and reporting standards. Effective immediately, issuers of Ginnie Mae mortgage-backed securities must notify Ginnie Mae of any cybersecurity incident within 48 hours of its detection.  The […]

The reverse mortgage industry already knew that Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsement volume in 2023 was cut nearly in half compared to 2022, but new data shows that the decline was not the same between the retail and wholesale channels of the business. The pullback in retail was not as severe as the one […]

Add mortgage tech firm Guideline Buddy to the list of companies with an artificial intelligence-powered chat tool. Guideline Buddy’s chatbot leverages generative AI technology to simplify the loan qualification process by providing swift and accurate information, freeing professionals from the time-consuming burden of sifting through extensive documentation, the firm said. The new tool is designed […]

Rithm Capital, a New York-based asset manager with a focus on real estate — and the parent of multichannel lender Newrez — is the latest company in the mortgage space to issue debt.  Rithm is joining a list that includes competitors Mr. Cooper Group, Freedom Mortgage, PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust and Pennymac Financial Services, each of which have issued debt […]

First-time homebuyers made up 55% of agency purchase mortgages in 2023, according to Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) eMBS data, the highest such share in the 10 years ICE has been tracking the metric.  A record 47% of government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) purchase loans in 2023 came from first-time homebuyers, a number that’s been trending gradually higher throughout […]

The mortgage rate lockdown premise says that if rates rise, inventory can’t grow meaningfully. The idea is that nobody will trade their low mortgage rates to buy another home — even though this happened every week last year. Of course, I have a different view. My podcast partner, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler, disagrees, along […]

Kiavi, one of the nation’s largest private lenders for residential real estate investors, closed a $350 million unrated securitization of residential transition loans (RTLs), the company announced on Monday.  The loans bundled in the securitization were mostly investment property loans used for fix-and-flip transactions. This securitization marked Kiavi’s 16th such transaction and elevated the company’s […]

After attorneys made their cases for both the U.S. government and former Live Well Financial CEO Michael Hild regarding a restitution amount owed to the company’s creditors, a magistrate judge overseeing the issue has recommended that Hild pay more than $46 million. The final amount will be determined by the trial judge. The funds will […]

Mortgage trade groups have commended the moves taken by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to address a spike in loan buybacks — the latest being a new electronic notification made available by Fannie Mae. But advocates also say more is needed to improve the loan repurchase process.   On Feb. 24, Fannie […]

Thomas Cangemi is stepping down as president and CEO of New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) following the company’s disclosure of internal control deficiencies and a goodwill impairment of $2.4 billion.  Alessandro DiNello, appointed executive chairman of the board on Feb. 6, will replace Cangemi, effective immediately. DiNello was the president and CEO of Flagstar Bancorp, a bank recently […]

In a fiercely competitive market, mortgage originators need to rethink everything to gain market share and become savvy. From leveraging the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital marketing to mastering financial literacy, mortgage and real estate professionals have come together to provide these skills to loan officers in a new book titled, “Rethink Everything: […]

Liberty Reverse Mortgage, a top 10 reverse mortgage lender owned by Ocwen Financial Corp. and its subsidiary PHH Mortgage Corp., allegedly violated California labor laws by failing to provide employees with rest breaks, meal breaks and appropriate compensation for off-the-clock and overtime work, according to a newly filed class-action lawsuit. The suit, filed by former […]

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on Thursday that the transition to new credit score requirements is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2025, a decision commended by the mortgage industry.  That’s when the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will acquire single-family loans based on the FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 credit models, replacing the Classic FICO […]

Mortgage rates continued to trend up this week and dampen homebuyer momentum. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.94% as of Feb. 29, an increase from last week’s figure of 6.90%, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey released on Thursday.  Meanwhile, the 15-year fixed rate averaged 6.26% this week, down from 6.29% during the […]

Independent brokerage Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has partnered with Zillow’s ShowingTime+ to allow agents in the Cleveland and Pittsburgh areas to leverage the Listing Showcase tool. Launched in June 2023, Listing Showcase is an AI-powered listing tool available exclusively on Zillow. It enables agents to differentiate themselves through original presentations of their brand and […]

EasyKnock completed a $28 million Series D funding round, the company announced on Wednesday. Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, the venture capital arm of financial services company Northwestern Mutual, joined as an investor in this round. With its newest  influx of capital, EasyKnock aims to advance the development of its platform by honing its suite of […]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced this week that they have filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, supporting plaintiffs that allege unlawful fees imposed by Ocwen Loan Servicing, a division of Ocwen Financial Corp. The case involves plaintiffs Sheryl Glover […]

Rocket Companies will soon shut down Rocket Pro Originate, a mortgage origination platform for real estate agents, insurance agents, tax professionals and other financial professionals who are also licensed to originate mortgages. According to a copy of an email sent to affected originators this week and reviewed by HousingWire, the Rocket Pro Originate platform — […]

Top 10 mortgage lender and servicer Newrez is partnering with Newzip, a tech-enabled real estate platform, to roll out a program aimed to save buyers and sellers on credit costs. Dubbed Newrez Home Rewards, buyers will be matched with a real estate agent who works with Newzip and provided booking services. They will also be […]

California is home to roughly 39 million people, making it by far the nation’s most populous state. In 2022, however, only 55.3% of its occupied homes were owner-occupied, the third lowest percentage in the U.S. after New York (53.9%) and Washington, D.C. (42.3%), according to the Census Bureau. Landing a California home is hard and […]

Higher interest rates in recent weeks have made a dent in housing activity, bringing down mortgage demand. Mortgage applications decreased by 5.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis during the week ending Feb. 23, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey. “Higher rates in recent weeks have stalled activity, and last week […]

Ocwen Financial Corp., parent company of PHH Mortgage Corp. and its subsidiary Liberty Reverse Mortgage, posted a $64 million loss in 2023 but sees a generally positive trajectory for its reverse mortgage origination and servicing businesses. This is according to an earnings release and conference call detailing the company’s fourth-quarter and full year 2023 results. […]

California-based New American Funding (NAF), which recently acquired Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. (DKMC), has tapped industry veteran Mosi Gatling as senior vice president of strategic growth and expansion, a newly created role on NAF’s leadership team.  Gatling was previously a sales manager at loanDepot, where she spent almost seven years. Last year, she produced about $78 million in […]

Real estate investment trust Rithm Capital, the parent of multichannel lender Newrez, has agreed to issue a one-year loan, purchase common stock and become the external manager of its peer Great Ajax Corp. New York-based Rithm Capital engaged in acquisitions last year to become a global asset manager focused on real estate. This year, it […]

Mortgage technology firm Xactus named Michael Crockett as its chief operating officer. He previously served as the company’s chief data officer. In his expanded role, Crockett will guide day-to-day operations and key departments at Xactus, including credit, verifications and tenant screening. Crockett will also evaluate internal and external customer experiences, with a focus on enhancing […]

After slowing to a 30-year low in 2023, the gears of housing finance are re-engaging. But before diving back in headfirst, it would be worthwhile for lenders to think through what the last two years of scarcity reveal about the normal working model of an independent mortgage bank (IMB). Last year, Floify commissioned an independent […]

More U.S. seniors are working today than ever before, a trend marked either by older Americans choosing not to retire, or choosing to actually rejoin the workforce after an initial retirement. This year is also set to see the U.S. population grow older at a faster rate. The trend was the subject of a recent […]

Top 10 mortgage lender and servicer Newrez sued one of its former executives over multiple allegations, including breach of contract, disclosure of confidential information and unfair competition tied to soliciting several Newrez executives to join a competing lender. OneTrust Home Loans, a direct competitor of Newrez’s retail mortgage business, conspired with James Hecht, former Newrez […]

Mortgage originators who seek success in 2024 need to move with confidence and adaptability. To reach strategic goals for the year ahead — and avoid being left behind — here are four strategies for originators to consider. 1. Identify potential market impact The mortgage market is feast or famine, with origination volumes varying between high […]