Better Home & Finance Holding Co., or Better.com, on Tuesday announced the launch of its wholesale lending program, powered by the company’s Tinman AI platform. The program supports Better’s home equity line of credit (HELOC) and closed-end second (CES) loans and allows brokers to price out variable- and fixed-rate loans ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 […]
We have known each other for years and frequently appear on the same panel or podcast. Recently, Mosi has made some points to address some of the challenges of down payment assistance (DPA) programs, and we wanted to share and build on those thoughts because they are major shifts we feel the industry needs to […]
Credit bureau TransUnion is pushing back against the idea of replacing the current tri-merge mortgage credit model with a single credit pull, arguing that the shift would increase systemic risk and restrict access to credit. The conclusion comes from a TransUnion study released during the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Annual Convention and Expo, as the […]
Top former U.S. economic leaders, Gary Cohn and Lawrence Summers, raised red flags about the nation’s fiscal trajectory, the challenges of balancing monetary policy and the global context of U.S. debt. However, they Summers says economy is “remarkably resilient.” Speaking at the 2025 Mortgage Bankers Association‘s Annual Convention and Expo, Cohn and Summers also credited […]
A new study from the Nationwide Retirement Institute found that 58% of Millennial investors feel they have to choose between homeownership and retirement security as housing prices continue to rise faster than wages. “Millennials are navigating their prime earnings years in a financial landscape marked by volatile markets, high interest rates and shifting economic norms,” […]
Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Bob Broeksmit on Monday called 2025 a “historic year” for the trade group, highlighting major legislative and regulatory victories during his opening address Monday morning at the association’s Annual Convention and Expo in Las Vegas. Broeksmit shared with the audience that the MBA helped shape roughly 10% of all […]
With rates too high to make buying a home palatable, or even possible, we have a housing market that has been variously described as frozen or sick. What is certain is that many people are depressed about missing out on the interest rates that existed in 2021, and they fear that rates will never get […]
Artificial intelligence has become the mortgage industry’s most powerful and most misunderstood new ally. While some lenders chase hype, others are quietly transforming operations with measurable, data-driven automation and AI. Few leaders bridge both the business and technology sides of this transformation as fluently as Rajan Nair, CEO of Indecomm, a provider of the Genius […]
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) announced Sunday that it expects total single-family mortgage origination volume to increase to $2.2 trillion in 2026, up from $2.0 trillion expected in 2025. Speaking at its 2025 Annual Convention and Expo, Mike Fratantoni, chief economist and senior vice president for research and business development; Joel Kan, vice president, deputy chief […]
NEXA Lending is continuing to shake up its leadership by adding Tammy Richards to its team as chief strategy officer. The news follows several other leadership announcements for the Arizona-headquartered company. Most recently, NEXA announced a rebrand from NEXA Mortgage to NEXA Lending. Richards confirmed the news on her LinkedIn page and NEXA CEO Mike […]
Detroit-based Rocket Companies announced Friday that it has reduced its workforce following the completion of its acquisition of Mr. Cooper Group. The jobs cut will impact less than 1% of its employees. “Following the Mr. Cooper acquisition, we carefully reviewed our combined structure, identified overlapping roles and made the difficult decision to streamline teams,” the […]
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: Are MLS policies built for the ChatGPT era? Zillow‘s integration with ChatGPT has ignited a debate over MLS compliance, with industry leaders examining the implications for data privacy […]
The legal dispute over ownership and transparency of the NBA‘s Phoenix Suns has apparently come to an end as the parties have executed a stipulation of dismissal in the Delaware Court of Chancery, formally ending the lawsuit without a judge deciding the merits. The filing, submitted Friday, stipulates that both parties will cover their own […]
Movement Mortgage said Friday that it has completed a three-year overhaul of its technology systems, culminating in the launch of its new loan origination system, MORE LOS. The rollout marks the final phase of Movement‘s initiative to modernize and merge the company’s core systems into a single platform — including data and infrastructure, cybersecurity, finance, […]
FundingShield, a provider of wire and title fraud prevention technology, reported a surge in fraudulent activity and compliance lapses across the mortgage and settlement services industry during the third quarter of 2025, marking one of the riskiest periods on record for loan transactions. Nearly half (46.6%) of transactions in a $90 billion portfolio were flagged […]
MeridianLink Inc., a provider of lending software for financial institutions, launched MeridianLink Insight for Mortgage on Thursday. The new platform is designed to help mortgage lenders make faster, data-driven decisions using real-time benchmarking and borrower insights. The system offers data collection and ready-to-use dashboards, reports and reporting tools that integrate directly with MeridianLink’s mortgage loan […]
John Luddy I sell reverse mortgages with a missionary passion. I think that we have a moral obligation to sell it to our clients. If you think this product sells itself, you’re wasting your time here. You will not make it in this business. It does not sell itself. They will go back into the […]
Philadelphia-based Incenter Lender Services, which works with nonbank and depository mortgage lenders across the country, on Thursday announced the launch of the Incenter CRA Exchange Platform. The tool is billed as a unique, one-stop “matchmaking solution” for sellers of loans made under the Community Reinvestment Act. The exchange is offered free of charge to banks, […]
Leadership in mortgage origination is changing alongside shifting market conditions — but that’s a good thing, according to a panel of senior mortgage executives at The Sales Mastery event powered by Momentum Builder in Dallas this week. Bill Hart, national leadership coach at Movement Mortgage, Natalie Overturf, vice president and divisional sales leader at CMG […]
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking public feedback on its proposed strategic plan for 2026–2030, the agency announced Wednesday. The document, described as “consistent with its statutory requirements and President Trump’s executive orders,” marks a sharp shift from the Biden-era plan. It introduces new priorities such as fraud detection and deregulation, while scaling […]
Mortgage applications for new homes dipped in September from the previous month but remained higher than last year’s levels, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Builder Application Survey released Thursday. The data offers a snapshot of housing demand at a time when market watchers are seeking clues about new-home sales amid the federal government […]
White House Budget Director Russell Vought said Wednesday that he intends to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), contradicting previous statements by the Trump administration that it would not close the bureau. It’s also not clear Vought has the authority to shut down an agency established by Congress. Speaking on The Charlie Kirk […]
Let’s talk seller impersonation fraud. While this scam has been nationwide for a few years now, it is likely to become more prevalent as we head into 2026. So, how does it work, and what should everyone in real estate know about it? It starts with a phone call or an email. A “seller” wants […]
New American Funding (NAF) on Wednesday named Nathan Ballentine as its new regional vice president for South Carolina. In this role, Ballentine will lead growth and development across the state, spearheading market expansion and sales initiatives. With more than 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Ballentine will focus on recruiting and onboarding top-performing […]
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Wednesday that he’ll soon be giving President Donald Trump several candidates to serve as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. “Likely sometime after Thanksgiving, in December, we’ll present the president with three or four candidates for him to interview,” Bessent told CNBC’s Sara Eisen. Bessent disclosed that he’s trimmed the […]
Phoenix Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia — who is also the president and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) — has filed a countersuit against minority owners Scott Seldin and Andy Kohlberg, accusing them of trying to force him to buy their shares “at an exorbitant premium.” The countersuit, filed Tuesday in Delaware state court, follows an […]
Archwest Capital, a private lender to residential real estate investors, reported Wednesday that it closed its first rated securitization backed by $300 million in residential transition loans (RTLs). The transaction was oversubscribed by nearly five times, signaling strong investor appetite for business-purpose RTLs. “As we continue expanding our lending footprint nationwide, securitizations like these enhance […]
Reverse mortgage industry executives see a growing role for proprietary products despite persistent challenges in the secondary market. But they also agree on one thing — the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and its related mortgage-backed securities (HMBS) programs remain critical pillars of the business. Their comments came during the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association […]
Blend Labs Inc. on Wednesday introduced Intelligent Origination, an AI-driven system designed to streamline the lending process by embedding automation and analytics throughout its digital origination platform. The company said the system integrates artificial intelligence into each stage of origination to interpret data and documents, perform complex tasks autonomously and learn from outcomes. Each feature […]
Plaid on Wednesday introduced LendScore, a new credit risk model that uses real-time cash flow data and account connection insights to give mortgage lenders a more complete view of a borrower’s financial situation. The launch comes amid significant shifts in consumer borrowing behavior and credit scoring. Plaid pointed to a recent TransUnion study, which found […]
loanDepot is accusing West Capital Lending (WCL) of hiring hundreds of loan originators as independent contractors and paying them revenue splits — practices that loanDepot claims are illegal and enabled WCL to become one of the largest mortgage brokerages in the country in just three years. The lender sued the brokerage and its founders, Eric […]
Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers build compliant loan files in real time, announced this week that its AI Originator Assistant can now assess loans against lender and investor overlays in addition to standard program guidelines. The update aims to give lenders greater control over credit quality and secondary market performance by […]
Third-quarter earnings for big banks Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup Inc. surpassed investor expectations on Tuesday, marking Wall Street’s resilience during fickle economic times. Wells Fargo’s revenue for Q3 2025 reached $21.43 billion, compared to an expected $21.14 billion. As a result, the company’s stock surged 7.51% and closed at $82.08 in pre-market trading. […]
Finance of America (FOA) will begin offering home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and home equity loans for homeowners ages 55 and older through the Tinman AI Platform that’s owned by Better Home & Finance Holding Co. At the same time, FOA will become Better’s partner for reverse mortgages, the companies announced Tuesday. “Our partnership […]
Dark Matter Technologies has expanded its Empower loan origination system (LOS) to include eClosing capabilities by integrating Wolters Kluwer’s eOriginal ClosingCenter and eOriginal eAsset Management Platform, the company announced Tuesday. The integration enables a fully digital mortgage closing process that supports hybrid, in-person electronic notarization (IPEN) and remote online notarization (RON). It also streamlines the […]
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM)’s new partnership with loyalty platform Bilt underscores CEO Mat Ishbia’s vision for the company’s servicing portfolio since bringing these operations in house. Traditionally a seller of mortgage servicing rights (MSRs), the lender may now be more focused on retaining these assets. “Our model of selling servicing as often might not be […]
Point-of-sale (POS) solutions company Floify announced on Tuesday its launch of Dynamic AI, a new capability that shifts the mortgage application process by moving document collection and AI-driven data extraction to the very beginning of the process. Instead of filling out long questionnaires, borrowers can upload documents such as pay stubs, W-2s and identification. The […]
loanDepot, Inc. said on Tuesday it has moved two of its key consumer direct lending executives into new roles, reflecting a renewed focus on the channel. The move follows a series of leadership shakeups at the company ever since founder and CEO Anthony Hsieh returned to the helm of the organization this summer. On Monday, […]
Experian announced on Tuesday that it will offer VantageScore 4.0 for free to its mortgage clients in an effort to accelerate adoption — a move that comes just a week after competitor Equifax introduced its own pricing incentives. The credit bureau said the score will be available at no cost indefinitely, and if it ever […]
Fewer than half of Americans are financially prepared to maintain their standard of living after they stop working, according to Vanguard‘s Retirement Outlook. The study, released Tuesday, highlights both progress and persistent gaps in the nation’s retirement readiness. It found that just 42% of U.S. workers are on pace to sustain their lifestyle in retirement. […]
Xactus, a fintech specializing in mortgage verification solutions, on Tuesday launched the Xactus Mortgage Intent Index, which is described as the industry’s first measurement of borrower mortgage intent. The index, which is updated daily and presented as a non-seasonally adjusted weekly index, tracks early borrower behavior across the preapplication, application and preclosing stages. Xactus‘ index […]
You’ve built a lending process that works. Your team is efficient, your systems are dialed in and you’ve invested in technology to stay competitive. But if you still rely on credit reports, static databases or third-party records that borrowers didn’t explicitly authorize, you’re not as modern as you think. Consumer expectations have shifted. In a […]
PHH Mortgage Corp., a subsidiary of Onity Group, on Monday introduced a new suite of nonqualified mortgage (non-QM) products designed to serve its correspondent lending partners and a wide range of nontraditional borrowers. The product suite, known as FlexIQ, is expected to launch Oct. 20, the company announced in a press release. It includes full […]
Doug Lebda, the founder, chairman and CEO of LendingTree, died Sunday in an all-terrain vehicle accident, the company’s board of directors announced. “We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Doug,” the board said in a statement. “Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching […]
Rick Calle has returned to loanDepot as chief strategy officer to oversee mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and revenue operations, the company announced on Monday. Calle previously worked at loanDepot from 2013 to 2022, leaving the same year that Anthony Hsieh stepped down as CEO. During that time, he served as a strategic adviser to Hsieh […]