In this age of information, borrowers today expect speed, ease and transparency in their everyday transactions, and that extends to the mortgage process. In fact, a survey from the 2025 ServiceLink State of Homebuying Report (SOHBR) found that today’s buyers would be more likely to select a lender that offered certain consumer-facing technologies — simply […]
The recent numbers from FHFA‘s National Mortgage Database tell a story about the massive amount of home equity American households have — in addition to the fact that most Americans have mortgage rates at 5% or below. These are two of the most significant differences between the current housing market and the run up to […]
Recent mergers and acquisitions (M&A), regulatory changes and shifting market conditions have mortgage industry experts questioning whether servicers are better positioned than other competitors to capture the next wave of refinances. Data from ICE Mortgage Technology shared with HousingWire offers a deep dive into servicers’ performance at keeping a borrower in their books after a […]
U.S. banks earned an estimated $1 trillion in excess interest revenue during the Federal Reserve’s two-and-a-half-year period of elevated interest rates, an analysis of official data by the Financial Times shows. Lenders reportedly benefited from higher yields on deposits held at the Fed while paying relatively low rates to many savers — boosting profit margins […]
Lawmakers in Congress are edging the federal government closer to a shutdown, with a Tuesday midnight looming as the date to pass a temporary funding bill. Without a deal, the impacts will be felt nationwide — including among seniors. During a shutdown, non-essential government functions pause, while essential operations such as defense, law enforcement, air […]
Investment bank Houlihan Lokey has bolstered its mortgage services practice by hiring industry veteran John Guzzo, amid expectations of increased mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity over the next several years. “This was both a short- and long-term opportunity that was hard to pass up, given where the market is today in the mortgage space and […]
In today’s market, where affordability is stretched thin and borrower competition is fierce, lenders can’t afford to stop at “yes.” The real differentiator isn’t just qualifying a borrower for a loan – it’s finding the best product and securing the best possible terms. That’s where AI can deliver a competitive edge for mortgage originators. AI […]
Government shutdowns have repeatedly rippled through the real estate industry over the past three decades, delaying loans, snarling flood insurance and rattling buyer confidence. A federal shutdown is days away as of Friday — threatening paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers, freezing key reports like monthly jobs data and placing a layer of uncertainty […]
American workers have grown more confident in the past year about their finances in retirement, according to survey data released this week by the Nationwide Retirement Institute. But this sentiment “may not be grounded in financial knowledge” as many people are making decisions that could negatively affect their financial future. The institute — a division […]
Planet Home Lending on Thursday announced the appointment of John Adams as retail renovation leader as the company seeks to enhance its home renovation expertise and unlock more housing opportunities for borrowers. Adams will focus on training and supporting Planet’s distributed retail loan originators and educating real estate agents nationwide. He will also educate veterans […]
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has extended the timeline for mortgage servicers to comply with the new loss-mitigation waterfall, according to a mortgagee letter issued Wednesday. While the provisions may be implemented by Oct. 1, they must be fully in place no later than Dec. 30, 2025, according to the letter signed by Frank Cassidy, […]
Homebuyer affordability improved in August and marked the fourth straight month of improvement, with the national median payment applied for by purchase mortgage applicants decreasing to $2,100, down from $2,127 in July. That’s according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Purchase Applications Payment Index (PAPI), which measures how new monthly mortgage payments vary across time […]
Fusion Home Loans, an Acrisure Mortgage partner company and new independent retail mortgage lender, announced its official launch on Wednesday. A release from the company confirmed that it launched in June 2025, entering the market with two branches, 15 loan officers and a total staff of 25, collectively producing approximately $200 million per year. While […]
CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) is set to close on a $900 million debt issuance at the end of September to repay its mortgage servicing rights (MSR) line of credit, after the offering came in 50% above the original target. The 6.50% senior notes, to be issued by parent company CrossCountry Intermediate HoldCo to qualified investors, are […]
Imagine telling a borrower they can refinance their mortgage and close in just seven days. In 2025, that shouldn’t be a stretch – it should be the standard. We now live in a world of same day delivery for almost anything. But even though the technology exists to make the 7-day refi a reality, the […]
loanDepot has filed a motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit in Maryland alleging violations of loan officer (LO) compensation rules and borrower steering, arguing the plaintiffs failed to show they suffered a “concrete injury.” The lawsuit, filed in July by five borrowers who obtained mortgages from 2019 to 2021, claims loanDepot engaged in a “sophisticated, […]
Interlinc Mortgage announced Wednesday that Gary Royal has joined the company as its Southeast regional sales manager. Royal has nearly 40 years of mortgage industry experience and “brings a proven track record of leadership, growth, and team development across multiple markets,” Interlinc said in a press release. Royal, who is based in Georgia, will lead […]
Scrivnr, a legal technology and financial services company, has launched an initiative aimed at helping Philadelphia residents in underserved communities resolve “tangled titles,” or unclear property ownership caused by missing legal documentation. Tangled titles prevent property heirs from refinancing mortgages, making essential repairs or selling inherited homes. Scrivnr’s program — which deals with both forward […]
Flyhomes will shut down its real estate brokerage business by the end of September, transitioning its agents to The Real Brokerage, the company announced Wednesday. The Bellevue, Washington-based fintech said it will focus on distributing its buy-before-you-sell products through wholesale channels, enabling borrowers to purchase a new home before selling their current one. The shift […]
Equity Prime Mortgage (EPM) announced on Wednesday the promotion of Anjanette Valenta to chief people officer. Valenta, who most recently held the role of senior vice president, people operations, has been with the company since September 2024. “Anjanette’s leadership has been transformational in a very short period of time,” said Eddy Perez Jr., CEO of EPM. […]
Following another decline in mortgage rates, mortgage applications increased 0.6% from one week earlier, per data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Sept. 19, 2025. Without adjusting for seasonality, the index increased 0.1% compared with the previous week. A key driver of applications was the refinance share […]
As lenders look to modernize their quality control operations, many are exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to streamline processes, improve loan quality and reduce risk. In this executive conversation, HousingWire spoke with Trevor Gauthier, CEO of ACES Quality Management, about how QC has evolved over time, how AI is reshaping expectations and what lenders […]
Amid a new administration and new lending rules entering the arena, 60% of organizations say they are struggling to keep systems aligned with evolving federal and state rules. That’s according to new survey findings from Carleton, a provider of compliant loan calculation and disclosure solutions. The company evaluated the extent to which lenders face ongoing […]
San Diego-based Smartfi Home Loans, a top 15 U.S. reverse mortgage lender, recently made the decision to close its retail division and place an “exclusive focus” on its wholesale channel, the company confirmed Tuesday with HousingWire’s Reverse Mortgage Daily. The move was officially announced Sept. 15 and ends a short stint for the company’s retail […]
On Tuesday, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte took to X to announce the agency’s termination of the advisory committee on affordable, equitable and sustainable housing, also known as ACAESH. “Effective Immediately, U.S. Federal Housing is TERMINATING Biden’s ‘racial equality committee’ which was dishonestly labeled ‘Affordable, Equitable, and Sustainable Housing.’ We are, instead, […]
In an effort to support Los Angeles wildfire victims, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed into law Assembly Bill 238, which requires mortgage lenders to help borrowers experiencing financial hardship due to the disasters through mortgage forbearance for up to 12 months. The legislation expands on a January announcement that 270 state-chartered banks, credit […]
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has alerted beneficiaries that paper checks will no longer be issued after Sept. 30 and urges anyone still receiving them to switch to electronic payments. “If you still receive paper checks, now is the time to act,” the SSA said in a statement. “To avoid any disruption in payments, you […]
Sagent, a Warburg Pincus-backed fintech firm, announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) to implement Sagent’s Dara Claims platform. IHFA is a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing solutions and economic development opportunities across Idaho. The organization also services roughly 300,000 loans across Idaho and other states. “This […]
Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group now predicts mortgage rates to end 2025 and 2026 at 6.4% and 5.9%, respectively, compared to 6.5% and 6.1% in its previous forecast. The group also revised its real gross domestic product (GDP) growth outlook for 2025 and 2026 to 1.5% and 2.1% on a Q4/Q4 basis, […]
OceanFirst Bank will exit the mortgage origination business and partner with Embrace Home Loans to provide financing options to its customers, a spokesperson confirmed to HousingWire. “Residential lending has become dominated in recent years by large-scale wholesale mortgage companies and financial technology firms, prompting many banks to re-evaluate their mortgage business models,” said Jill Hewitt, […]
Digital closing provider Snapdocs on Tuesday announced a new integration between its eClosing platform and Vesta, a next-generation loan origination system (LOS) and a provider of mortgage origination software. With Snapdocs powering one in four U.S. real estate transactions, this integration lets mutual customers manage the full closing process directly within the Vesta LOS. It’s […]
A new bill introduced in the Ohio Senate would create a grant program to help older and disabled homeowners cover the cost of their property taxes, mortgages and essential household bills. Senate Bill 255 — dubbed the “Save the Dream Ohio” program — would allow qualifying homeowners to apply for up to $3,000 per year […]
Katie Sweeney, the former top dog at the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) and the current executive vice president of strategy and broker advocacy at Rocket Pro, is denying claims by AIME that she misrepresented her role, concealed conflicts and awarded herself payments she wasn’t entitled to. Sweeney is suing the trade group for […]
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that Tony Sertich is the new executive director of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). Sertich most recently served as the assistant deputy director for the division of state financial assistance at the California Department of Housing and Community Development. He’s also served at CalHFA before as its financing […]
OCMBC Inc., dba LoanStream Mortgage, announced on Monday the retirement of its dba, Jet Advantage Mortgage, and the official launch of GIANT Lending. According to a press release from the company, the new identity “underscores the division’s mission to equip brokers with the strength, resources and support they need to thrive in any market.” “With […]
The Market Action Index has decreased slightly from 35 last month to 33.9 currently. This shows sellers still have the upper hand in the housing sector, but their advantage may be softening. With 42% of property listings dropping prices, it’s clear sellers are increasingly responsive to homebuyer feedback in today’s market conditions. Based on national […]
Technology teams at top reverse mortgage lenders are expanding as companies develop new tools to bring artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to seniors. Finance of America (FOA) employs about 170 people across technology, data, engineering, product and project management. Of this group, 20 to 30 are dedicated to AI and data — and it’s the fastest-growing […]
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: From Zillow to sphere: Why you must know the source of your real estate referrals Real estate agents are navigating a shifting lead-gen landscape — balancing referrals, paid […]
With the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget predicting that Social Security’s retirement trust funds will run out by 2032, policymakers are being forced to act fast. When asked during Fox Business News‘s “Mornings with Maria” segment on Thursday whether the retirement age would change, Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano said “everything’s being considered” […]
Top U.S. reverse mortgage lenders are entering a new phase in their artificial intelligence (AI) strategy: deploying customer-facing tools to engage more directly with seniors. After achieving operational efficiencies by using AI internally, lenders now plan to roll out chatbots, voice agents and digital prequalification tools to a broader base of borrowers starting in the […]
Last week, a UMortgage originator took to LinkedIn to announce a unique loan he was working on — a $4 million non-QM loan for a borrower using cryptocurrency through an off-exchange XRP wallet to qualify. Industry observers say the deal highlights both the potential and the challenges of bringing digital assets into housing finance. The […]
Pennymac TPO announced on Thursday that it’s raising its conforming loan limits for mortgage brokers to $819,000, effective Sept. 19. Pennymac‘s news comes just one day after United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) increased its single-family conforming loan limit from $806,500 to $819,000 for conventional and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loans. “Pennymac is committed to […]
Blackstone has promoted company veteran Katie Keenan to chief executive of its real estate income trust and global head of the Core+ business, the firm announced Friday. Keenan — who has been with the firm for more than a decade — currently serves as global co-chief investment officer for real estate debt strategies and as […]
The non-qualified mortgage market has experienced significant growth since its introduction nearly a decade ago. 10 years in, credit ratings agencies regularly release performance metrics for investors, which provide remarkable insight into this extremely versatile asset class. In a recent default study on non-QM performance over the years, for example, KBRA analysts note that non-QM […]
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to issue an emergency order that would allow for the removal of Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors. The move came after an appeals court refused to back the administration’s attempt to oust Cook earlier this week, upholding federal Judge Jia Cobb’s order last […]