Michael Barr, the Federal Reserve‘s vice chair for supervision, on Tuesday spoke at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., about the 2023 Basel III Endgame proposal, which would modify risk-based capital requirements for large banks. Following an extensive review process that included stakeholder comments in the intervening time — including what Barr called “productive meetings […]
Mortgage capital markets technology firm Polly has raised $25 million to invest in research and development, product innovation and expansion, the company said on Tuesday. 8VC led the latest equity investment with participation from existing investors Menlo Ventures, Meritech, Khosla Ventures and Fifth Wall. Polly has increased its locked loan volume by more than 150% […]
After several months of searching, Freddie Mac has found a new CEO, announcing on Tuesday the hiring of former PNC Financial Services executive Diana Reid. The government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) had been without a permanent CEO since March, when Michael DeVito retired after three years on the job. Michael Hutchins took over the role on an […]
The mortgage industry has complained loudly and often that government regulation and investor requirements are contributing to spiraling costs that get passed on to consumers. And Rohit Chopra, the hard-charging director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who is often the target of such complaints, apparently agrees. At least when it comes to redundancies with […]
Last week, Guild Mortgage announced a suite of products under the name “Flex Payment Mortgage.” The brand includes Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) reverse mortgage products alongside refinances, proprietary jumbo options and HECM for Purchase (H4P) loans. After acquiring the robust reverse mortgage division of Cherry Creek Mortgage in early 2023, Guild has used its […]
Better Home & Finance Holding Co., the parent of digital lender Better.com, rolled out its Federal Housing Administration (FHA) streamline refinance program on Monday. The product is available for qualified borrowers with an existing FHA loan who are looking to lower their monthly mortgage payment, reduce their interest rate, shorten their loan term or get […]
Publicly traded real estate software firm reAlpha Tech Corp. added mortgage lending under its umbrella by acquiring mortgage brokerage company Be My Neighbor on Monday. reAlpha agreed to pay Be My Neighbor an aggregate purchase price of up to $6 million. This consists of $1.5 million in cash paid on the closing date, $1.5 million […]
Mortgage rates remained flat following a jobs report on Friday that continued to show a cooling labor market. Mortgage rate pricing for homebuyers hasn’t changed significantly as lenders have already priced in a Federal Reserve rate cut of 25 basis points (bps) that is expected later this month, loan originators told HousingWire. Kevin Leibowitz, president […]
Aging in place continues to be the preference for the vast majority of older Americans. But the financial and emotional ramifications of staying in one’s current home, rather than moving to a nursing home or assisted-living facility, can be a heavy burden. The Wall Street Journal highlighted aging-in-place issues this week by interviewing several families […]
The reverse mortgage industry is pressing ahead with a chance at lower interest rates later this month. While there were signs of weakness in performance metrics in August, there are also commensurate signs of encouragement, according to industry experts. Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements fell by 3.3% from July to August, with the total […]
In an industry where managing a web of technology vendors to support LO’s sales and marketing needs has become overwhelmingly complex, inefficient and creates unnecessary security and compliance risks, CANDID is quickly becoming a leader in transforming how mortgage lenders operate. With its new partnership with Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, CANDID is set to make […]
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is calling for policy changes that would help alleviate the difficulties for homebuyers using Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans when competing in tight markets. Buyers using FHA loans often face stigmas and cannot use many of the competitive strategies commonly utilized by conventional borrowers and cash buyers, according to […]
Dan Snyder rarely steps into the spotlight, but his name, strategic moves and execution are talked about frequently in mortgage banking circles. This changes on Oct. 1, 2024, when Snyder, the CEO of Lower, steps on to the main stage at the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas for the HousingWire IMB Summit. A […]
Retirement in America comes with a lot of concerns related to finances and health, with both of these issues often being intertwined. Long-term care is emerging as a key concern for older Americans, especially since its costs will most likely need to be covered from a fixed income. This is one reason why home equity […]
U.S. home-price growth is predicted to finish this year at 4.7% before slowing to 3.1% in 2025, according to a quarterly survey of housing experts conducted by government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) Fannie Mae. The third-quarter 2024 survey polled more than 100 mortgage, real estate and academic experts to determine its predictions in partnership with data analytics […]
Mortgage lender and servicer OCMBC has acquired HomeStar Financial Corp., marking a significant expansion across the country. The acquisition formally closed on Aug. 29, OCMBC announced Thursday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Their extensive experience in servicing and their commitment to providing outstanding customer service align perfectly with our values at OCMBC,” […]
With elevated levels of home equity across the U.S., mortgage lenders are making home equity lending more accessible to reach more borrowers. Nearly all of the companies analyzed that provide home equity lending have a digital application process, while about half incorporate a soft credit pull before they fully underwrite these loans, according to a […]
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Wednesday published Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2024-18, which implements updates to debenture interest rates and reimbursements for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program claims proposed in July. The ML goes into effect on Sept. 28. Debenture interest refers to the percentage of a return that an investor would receive for […]
Mortgage demand rose slightly last week as mortgage rates moved lower. Loan application volume increased 1.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Aug. 30 compared to the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The MBA’s refinance index decreased 0.3% from the previous week but was 94% higher than the […]
Declining mortgage rates in August provided some relief for U.S. homebuyers and made it the most affordable month since February. Of the 2.5 million “in-the-money“ mortgage holders as of Aug. 22, more than 60% took out their mortgages in the past two years, including 850,000 in 2023 and 560,000 this year. The average highly qualified […]
With elevated mortgage rates having persisted over the past two years, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated recently that a cut to the federal funds rate at this month’s meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is on the table, which would likely have the effect of driving mortgage rates lower. Elevated interest rates […]
CMG Home Loans, the retail lending division of CMG Financial, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Kari Van Kleef to the position of reverse mortgage operations manager. She is one of “several industry veterans who will be directing the dedicated reverse mortgage department at CMG,” the company said. Van Kleef, who previously worked for the […]
Mortgage servicer Nationstar, doing business as Mr. Cooper, is expected to settle a lawsuit with electronic payment processing vendor ACI Payments that is related to alleged damages from unauthorized mortgage payments imposed on Mr. Cooper’s customers three years ago. The settlement notice was filed Aug. 30 in a U.S. district court in Texas. Mr. Cooper […]
The chief economist of Fannie Mae expects to hang up the cleats this year. Doug Duncan, who’s been the chief economist at the government-sponsored enterprise since 2008, will be retiring effective Sept. 22, according to Rob Chrisman, who first reported the news on his blog Tuesday morning. Mark Palim, the company’s deputy chief economist, will […]
Home equity fintech Unlock Technologies has landed a Series B funding round that includes a $30 million investment by D2 Asset Management. D2 also pledged a $250 million capital commitment to Unlock to support originations. Also participating in the Series B round were Saluda Grade, Second Century Ventures and REACH, the venture and tech subsidiary of […]
Dan Sogorka Sogorka will spend much of his time with broker partners to help them understand the technology needed on the Rocket Pro TPO platform, and how buyers and sellers interact with Rocket’s tools. “We want to provide choice for brokers, choice for their consumers and the best tech for everybody involved in the process,” […]
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated last week that a cut in the federal funds rate at the September meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is on the table, which would have the effect of driving mortgage rates lower. Most observers and professionals agree that a rate cut would provide immediate benefits to […]
Retirement savers experienced their third consecutive quarter of growth in Q2 2024, with Gen X savers showing strong gains in individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), a sign of progress considering that cohort’s prior struggles with saving for life after work. This is according to a report released by Fidelity Investments, based on 401(k) and 403(b) data […]
Richelle Hopkins of Mutual of Omaha Mortgage has been a reverse mortgage professional for 20 years, moving to Arizona in 2006. In 2020, a colleague approached her about establishing a Phoenix-based chapter of Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS), an association of financial services professionals who aim to “attract, develop and advance women in […]
As the U.S. workforce continues to age commensurately with the population at large, a new report by U.S. Money Reserve illustrates that the highest concentration of older workers — those at or over the age of 65 — are concentrated in the New England region of the country. Based on data from the U.S. Census […]
Florida-based V.A.-focused mortgage lender NewDay USA has reached an agreement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over allegations that it provided misleading and incomplete cost comparisons to borrowers seeking cash-out refinance loans, the parties announced on Thursday. The deal, which includes a $2.25 million civil penalty, was reached without the company admitting or denying […]
The country saw 1.62 million residential mortgage originations in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 23.2% from the previous quarter, and the first quarterly gain in a year. The increase in overall lending in Q2 came amid the Spring homebuying season and lower mortgage interest rates that dipped downward after months of increases, […]
In the months ahead, with the presidential election approaching and the Federal Reserve eyeing interest rate cuts, originators will scrutinize how shifting fiscal policy could influence the mortgage industry and the economy at large. A new administration could have ramifications for markets and the overall economy, with potential policy changes and market fluctuations that affect […]
The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) announced on Wednesday that it has relaunched its Reverse Mortgage Insurance & Tax Payment Program (ReMIT), which originally began in 2019 and expanded in 2020. Qualifying senior homeowners who live in Washington, D.C., can receive financial assistance to cover delinquent property taxes, homeowners insurance or HOA fees that […]
Alyssa Weakley — a clinical neuropsychologist, researcher and a caregiver to an older adult — has assisted in the creation of a technology platform that is designed to more easily connect older adults with their family members and caregivers to better support aging-in-place goals. “You never not worry,” Weakley, a researcher at the University of […]
Tim Bowler, President of ICE Mortgage Technology, has a clear, specific vision for the future of ICE Mortgage Technology and the mortgage industry. In this Executive Conversation, Tim discusses ICE’s investment in product innovation, a company culture based on continuous improvement, and future career opportunities for those looking to make a difference. We are committed […]
The government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Wednesday announced new minimum standards to be included in tenant leases on GSE-backed multifamily properties, following up on a policy announced last month by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The new lease standards will require a five-day grace period for rent payments, a 30-day […]
Digital closing provider Snapdocs has automated its digital closing revenue management system to help the firm create a faster and more transparent process for clients. In partnering with BillingPlatform, the billing and revenue management solution provides “the automation, scale and flexibility to launch and bill for our core and new products as our business continues […]
Fintech Calque rolled out an affordable version of its Buy Before You Sell program that enables homeowners to remove home sale contingencies and debt-to-income (DTI) constraints. Dubbed the “Contingency Buster,” the product uses its Purchase Price Guarantee (PPG), a binding backup contract that if a homebuyer’s current home does not sell within 150 days, the […]
Mortgage market conditions presented over the past two years have muted the effectiveness of the monetary policy tightening by saving $600 billion for homeowners, accounting for about 2% of personal consumption spending since 2022, according to a report by two Swiss Re Institute senior economists. “A dollar not spent on mortgage payments is a dollar […]
By maintaining a consistent posture that is informed by the dynamics of the traditional forward mortgage business, Rate’s reverse mortgage division has seen notable growth in the year after the appointment of new leadership. Ryan Ogata, Rate’s executive vice president of reverse mortgage lending, previously described how his experience in the forward lending business helped […]
The baby boomer generation is “slipping through the cracks” of the U.S. retirement system due to the rising prices of home insurance across the country, according to an analysis from online insurance marketplace Insurify. “A new source of financial strain on retiree budgets is homeowners insurance premiums, which have skyrocketed by 20% between 2021 and […]
Proptech HomeLight has raised $20 million to expand the offering of its Buy Before You Sell product to mortgage lenders and real estate agents across 40 new states, the company announced on Monday. Zeev Ventures, an early-stage venture fund, led the Series D extension, and was joined by Stereo Capital and Menlo Ventures. According to […]
Detroit-headquartered Rocket Mortgage on Monday rolled out a lender-paid 2-1 temporary buydown program for lower-income households. The program, dubbed “Welcome Home RateBreak,” is available to buyers purchasing a single-family home and earning 80% or less of their area median income (AMI). Rocket estimates the size of this segment at more than 90 million people. The […]
Mike Roberts is about to make his first early payoff (EPO) penalty in two years after finding out that one of his clients refinanced a $355,000 loan with a 7.25% rate that Roberts closed in April. “The amount that we received in yield spread was 1.72%, which equates to $6,106,” said Roberts, co-founder and president […]