President Donald Trump on Friday signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 2808), establishing a nationwide ban on the abusive use of trigger leads beginning in March 2026. The legislation had broad mortgage industry support. It cleared the House in June and the Senate by unanimous consent in August, with bipartisan sponsorship from Reps. John […]
A growing number of U.S. housing markets face elevated risks from high foreclosure rates, underwater mortgages and rising costs, according to a new report. ATTOM analyzed 579 counties nationwide for its second-quarter Housing Risk Report — with ranking criteria including affordability, foreclosure activity, mortgage equity and unemployment. California and Florida counties were heavily represented among […]
A coalition of 46 independent mortgage banks (IMBs) is calling for guarantee-fee parity and a competitive cash window in a letter sent Friday to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte. The push comes as the Trump administration signals plans to move forward with a stock offering for […]
In an interview on Thursday with CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte addressed the “for cause” definition tied to the attempted firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook while rejecting the notion that his crusade against mortgage occupancy fraud was “political weaponization.” “I do believe there is a very strong cause,” […]
Last month, Texas-based Finance of America (FOA) announced that it would be offering a dual listing of its common stock on the newly created NYSE Texas, which is headquartered in Dallas. As a result, FOA — a leading reverse mortgage lender — is among the handful of founding members that also include Intercontinental Exchange and […]
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Thursday issued a public request for information on noncompete agreements as it seeks to identify practices it considers “unfair” and “anticompetitive,” a topic that has drawn attention across the mortgage and real estate industries. Under the Trump administration, the FTC said it will take a case-by-case approach rather than […]
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has revised residency requirements for the Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee program to exclude non-permanent resident aliens. “This update aligns HUD’s requirements with recent executive actions that emphasize the prioritization of federal resources to protect the financial interests of American citizens and ensure the integrity […]
DossDocs on Thursday announced the launch of Seller Financing Docs, a product aimed at homeowners locked into low mortgage rates who have delayed a home sale rather than trading in their low rate for a higher one on their next home. The product allows sellers to transfer their low-rate mortgage, often in the range of […]
NEO Home Loans powered by Better announced on Thursday that the Gustafson Team, a top-producing group that closed 303 loans totaling more than $110 million in 2024, has joined the company. Led by Gene Gustafson, the Fort Collins, Colorado-based team spent the past 15 years at loanDepot. The team will play a key role in […]
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations that she misrepresented the occupancy of three properties to obtain more favorable mortgage terms. The DOJ has issued subpoenas seeking information related to mortgage fraud claims, according to officials cited by The Wall Street Journal. The investigation originated […]
Rithm Capital Corp., parent company of multichannel lender Newrez, has struck a deal to acquire alternative investment manager Crestline Management, a move that adds $17 billion in assets under management and expands its reach into direct lending, fund liquidity solutions, insurance and reinsurance. The acquisition, announced on Thursday, follows Rithm’s second-quarter earnings call, when Rithm […]
Insellerate, a software and technology company that offers a customer relationship management (CRM) platform for the residential mortgage, debt settlement, insurance and tax industries, announced on Thursday that Christopher Meerschaert has been appointed as its new director of customer service. With more than two decades of experience — including leadership roles at Citi, Growth Works […]
ICE Mortgage Technology is building the future of housing finance with an integrated solution suite powered by automation, advanced data, and AI. By evolving its Encompass platform with modern APIs and fostering a collaborative partner network, the company is simplifying the entire mortgage process, assisting lenders and servicers to deliver an exceptional borrower experience. Spearheading […]
Mortgage lender Click n’ Close has rolled out a new financing product that pairs an adjustable-rate mortgage with down payment assistance in an effort to make new homes more accessible to buyers. The program — called the SmartBuy 5/1 ARM Down Payment Assistance product — offers a first mortgage alongside a repayable second mortgage. The […]
Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements fell sharply in August, even as a handful of reverse mortgage lenders continued to dominate the market. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured 2,062 HECMs in August, according to data compiled by New View Advisors that was released on Wednesday. That marked a 13% decline from July and the […]
Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), weighed in this week on recent moves by President Donald Trump and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte involving the Federal Reserve and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Ishbia’s remarks, shared in a video released Tuesday, follow Trump’s Aug. 25 attempt to […]
NEXA Mortgage on Wednesday announced the appointment of Geri Farr as its chief growth officer, effective immediately. Farr most recently served as senior vice president of West retail sales at Kind Lending, and she previously held leadership roles at Bay Equity. “The future is here. NEXA has built something unique — wholesale-level pricing and productoptionality, […]
PennyMac Financial Services Inc. on Wednesday announced that its Correspondent Group will launch a new suite of nonqualified mortgage (non-QM) products on Sept. 22. The new suite offers four product types: debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loans, along with A+, A and A- credit grades, which are distinguished by a borrower’s housing payment history. Each […]
Despite a drop in mortgage rates last week, mortgage applications decreased 1.2% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Aug. 29, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 3% compared with last week. “Mortgage rates declined last week, with the […]
The mortgage industry is at a crossroads. As digital transformation accelerates across financial services, borrowers expect faster, more transparent experiences—yet title and closing remain stubbornly manual, fragmented, and slow. For lenders, this disconnect is more than inconvenient; it’s costly. Lengthy cycle times, delayed closings, and inconsistent data flow erode profitability and borrower trust. Mortgage Connect is […]
A new report suggests that counting the value of employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) toward taxable wages could generate about $400 more in annual payroll taxes per worker, shrinking Social Security’s long-term funding gap by roughly 25% in 75 years. The report published Tuesday by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College concludes that the […]
HousingWire today announced the winners of the annual Vanguards award, celebrating its 11th year of recognizing the housing industry’s most influential executives. This year, 100 leaders across mortgage, real estate, and tech have been named to the prestigious list, underscoring their exceptional leadership and impact on the housing economy. “The 2025 HousingWire Vanguards exemplify what […]
Figure Technology Solutions, Inc. on Tuesday announced the launch of its initial public offering (IPO) of 26.3 million shares of Class A common stock in a bid to raise $526 million. The news follows reports in July that the company was preparing to go public in the fall. The IPO news is a win for […]
MegaStar Financial Services announced on Tuesday the appointment of Mickey Schilling, CMB, as its new Chief Revenue Officer. With over 25 years in the mortgage industry, Schilling’s new role will involve driving production, overseeing revenue initiatives and leading the firm’s strategic push into new markets. “Mickey brings a rare blend of strength, leadership, and care,” […]
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: The new smart home technology that’s helping seniors age in place With seniors now outnumbering children in many U.S. states, demand is growing for aging-in-place technology. Dr. Jing […]
A long-awaited crackdown on trigger leads is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk, but not everyone in the mortgage world is celebrating. Nestled in the bill is a provision that’s leading professionals to raise doubts about whether the measure is a consumer safeguard or a competition killer. “The act will require consumers to […]
Federal agents have disrupted a long-running fraud scheme targeting seniors, arresting 25 members of a Chinese criminal gang over the past week. The twist? The agents were assisted by YouTubers who set and sprang the trap on the fraudsters, who are charged with stealing $65 million from seniors nationwide. The criminal group, made up of […]
Credit bureau TransUnion disclosed Wednesday that a July cyberattack compromised the personal data of more than 4.4 million consumers, according to a filing with the Office of the Maine Attorney General. In a letter to affected customers, the company stressed that the breach did not involve its core systems or credit files. Instead, hackers gained […]
Buyers are pulling out of purchase contracts at an alarming rate — reaching an eight-year high in July. HousingWire spoke to several lenders about how they are tackling the problem on the front end to prevent contracts from going south. Experts say the surge in collapsed deals stems from soaring home prices, steep borrowing costs […]
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte issued a second criminal referral against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on Thursday — the same day Cook filed suit against President Donald Trump for attempting to fire her over mortgage fraud allegations. The second referral centers on a mortgage for a Cambridge, Massachusetts, condominium. Pulte alleges […]
Mortgage lending increased in the second quarter 2025, with nearly 1.76 million residential loans issued nationwide, according to ATTOM’s quarterly mortgage origination report. It was the first time since 2021 that the second quarter saw an annualized increase. The total number from April through June marked a 19.4% rise from the first quarter and a […]
More than a year ago, New American Funding (NAF) launched a new marketing campaign that’s designed to inject a fresh attitude into how consumers view reverse mortgage products. Unlike NAF’s multimillion-dollar forward mortgage campaign, “Hell Yeah You’re Buying a Home,” which was announced last month, the reverse-centric “Old Wives” campaign isn’t something you’ll find on […]
Texans Credit Union launched its first-time homebuyer program on Thursday, introducing three new loan options to spur home purchase activity. The three loan options include: Low down payment mortgages that require as little as 3% down. Flexible-rate loans The “Home Extra 105” package, which finances a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of up to 105% to cover […]
Minority investors in the NBA‘s Phoenix Suns have filed a lawsuit against the team and its majority owner, Mat Ishbia. They allege being denied access to internal records, including those tied to the funding of a practice facility. The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 21 in the Delaware Court of Chancery, comes from Kisco WC Sports […]
The old playbook of financing mainly single-family, site-built homes is getting a radical makeover, and we’re pleased to note that, looking at the numbers, down payment assistance (DPA) programs are leading this charge, allowing buyers to use funds to purchase manufactured homes, multi-family properties and newly constructed homes. Lenders can use DPA to reduce a […]
Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) often get more attention when rates climb, but don’t fool yourself: their actual footprint in the U.S. housing market remains modest. Since a Zero Hedge tweet saying that ARM loans now make up 41% of mortgages held by U.S. banks went viral on Sunday night, the mortgage community has been abuzz with […]
Homeowners who bought in 2025 with the expectation of refinancing may not see savings unless interest rates fall by at least 0.75 percentage points, according to a report released this week by Neighbors Bank. The national analysis modeled typical refinance scenarios across all 50 states using a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage of 6.8%, an average loan […]
About one in four Americans are at least 60 years old, and this group now outnumbers children in 11 states and in nearly half of all U.S. counties. Technological advancements are needed to serve a senior population that overwhelming prefers to age in place. Whether a client needs technology for life-saving reasons or mere convenience, […]
More than half (56%) of homeowners are worried that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress in July, will impact their ability to meet student loan payments now or in the future — despite the fact that they’re sitting on record levels of home equity. That’s according to a new report released Tuesday […]
New American Funding (NAF) on Wednesday announced an expansion of its suite of services through the launch of NAF Insurance Services. This new affiliated insurance agency is “designed to help customers secure the right coverage at a competitive price through a streamlined, personalized experience,” a press release from the company stated. The release also said […]
Mortgage applications decreased 0.5% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending August 22, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 2% compared with the previous week. The refinance index decreased 4% from the previous week and remained 19% higher than […]
Lenders like Rocket Mortgage and UWM have reshaped the mortgage industry. Their massive tech stacks and national footprints allow them to manufacture loans at incredible speed and scale. The rest of the industry has responded by layering automation onto existing workflows in an attempt to keep pace. But the challenge isn’t just about speed. It’s […]
Let’s be real: the last two years have been brutal for a lot of people in our industry. Production’s down. Pipelines are tighter. Good people have left. But if you’re reading this, you’re still here. And that means something. It means this isn’t just a job to you…it’s your business. Your calling. Your legacy.And you’re […]
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) said Tuesday it has allowed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve Rocket Companies’ planned acquisition of Mr. Cooper Group, noting the combined company should not exceed a 20% counterparty risk limit set for the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). Detroit-based Rocket announced in March that it would acquire Mr. Cooper […]
The Hispanic Organization of Mortgage Experts (HOME) on Tuesday announced the launch of what it claims to be the mortgage industry’s first bilingual learning management system (LMS), HOME Certified, powered by Twiz.io. The organization also introduced Wholesale Search, an AI-powered tool built on ChatGPT that takes mere seconds to match borrowers with lenders who offer […]