The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) is urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to revise proposed changes to federal fair lending rules, warning that the agency’s approach could undermine reverse mortgages by restricting the permissible use of age in credit programs. In a comment letter submitted to the CFPB on Dec. 15, the […]
Demand for debt-service-coverage ratio (DSCR) loans grew in 2025 as tight housing inventory and a rising share of nontraditional wage earners pushed more borrowers toward alternative products. The demand was contagious across the industry. In November, Rocket Pro announced the launch of its first DSCR product for investment properties, marking a turning point as companies […]
A proposal to remove housing counseling as a front-end requirement for borrowers seeking government-insured reverse mortgages would eliminate a key consumer protection for seniors, according to Peter M. Mazonas, CEO of NatEquity Inc. Mazonas voiced his concerns in a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. His comments came in response to […]
Better Home & Finance Holding Co. announced Friday the appointment of Barry Feierstein as the company’s chief operating officer. In his new role, Feierstein will oversee Better’s corporate operations. “We’re thrilled to have Barry on board as Better’s new COO. His background brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial spirit and operational discipline that will strengthen […]
On Thursday evening, the Senate confirmed Frank Cassidy as the next Federal Housing Administration (FHA) commissioner and the assistant secretary for housing, Joe Gormley as Ginnie Mae‘s new president, and Travis Hill as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC). The confirmations follow the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs advancing the […]
Today’s lending environment is tight, and margins are feeling the pressure. It’s clear that a lender’s profitability has a lot to do with how well decisions are made and managed throughout the loan process. But many lenders are still relying on manual reviews and policy updates that can take weeks to put into place. AI […]
A recent Cato Institute survey of 2,000 adults found strong bipartisan support for creating an independent, nonpartisan commission with authority to address Social Security’s long-term funding shortfall. Seventy-one percent of respondents said they favor Congress establishing such a body, reflecting broad frustration with lawmakers and growing openness to an alternative decision-making process. Support cuts across […]
Nearly half of retirement plan participants carry credit card debt, a factor that increases the likelihood they’ll take a loan from their retirement accounts, according to a new report from J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The “Retirement by the Numbers” study found that high credit card balances are linked to lower contribution rates and smaller account […]
The move by United Wholesale Mortgage’s (UWM) parent company to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp. for $1.3 billion — the first acquisition in its history — marks a shift towards a more balanced business model between origination and servicing for the nation’s top mortgage lender. UWM will continue to focus on its broker channel, while […]
AD Mortgage on Thursday released its first Mortgage Professionals Pulse Report & 2026 Outlook, which offers a glimpse into broker sentiment, performance, challenges and expectations based on a survey of more than 300 mortgage professionals nationwide. The survey, conducted in late November and early December, found that 70% of respondents said 2025 was a better […]
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Wednesday issued proposed guidance to simplify how community banks can meet Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requirements through a strategic plan. The proposal follows a series of changes announced by the OCC in October and November that aim to reduce regulatory burdens for community banks. The […]
Homebuyer affordability improved slightly in November as the national median monthly mortgage payment for purchase applicants dropped to $2,034, down $5 from October, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Purchase Applications Payment Index (PAPI) released Thursday. On an annual basis, payments were down by $99, equal to a 4.6% decrease. MBA’s PAPI, which tracks […]
CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) announced Wednesday that it’s welcoming the Victor Alpha Group to the company. Led by the husband-and-wife duo of Patton Gade and Shari Gade, the team brings more than 20 mortgage professionals with military ties to CCM. “This team exemplifies the values that define CrossCountry Mortgage,” Ron Leonhardt, founder and CEO of CrossCountry […]
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage is marketing a $243.3 million securitization backed by newly originated proprietary reverse mortgages, according to a presale report published Monday by Morningstar DBRS. The transaction is backed by 318 reverse mortgages with about $200.1 million in unpaid principal balance, most of which were originated in 2025 and are secured by first […]
Movement Mortgage has a new East Coast growth director, according to a press release from the company on Wednesday. Justin Caplan is taking on the role. He is tasked with leading and supporting market expansion, along with strengthening recruiting and leadership development. Caplan, who has 30 years of industry experience, has funded more than $1 […]
MidOcean Partners, an alternative asset manager focused on middle-market private equity, alternative credit and structured equity, said on Tuesday that it has entered into a forward flow purchase agreement with home equity investment (HEI) platform Point Digital Finance Inc. Under the agreement, Point will sell up to $600 million of its HEI assets to MidOcean. […]
The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) announced on Tuesday that Amy Moses will assume the role of vice president of strategic growth. Moses, who joined MISMO in early 2025 as a contractor, will lead MISMO’s growth and revenue strategy in her new role. She’ll also develop partnerships that help to encourage the adoption of […]
Kiavi, a nonbank lender platform for residential real estate investors (REIs), announced on Wednesday its expansion into four additional states — Mississippi, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont — bringing its footprint to 49 states and Washington, D.C. The expansion comes amid a period of growth for the company. Year to date, Kiavi has originated […]
United Holding Corp., the parent company of United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), has struck an all-stock deal to acquire real estate investment trust Two Harbors Investment Corp. for $1.3 billion. The transaction, announced Wednesday, will nearly double UWM’s servicing book while expanding its capabilities, creating the eighth-largest U.S. mortgage servicer, according to company estimates. Two Harbors […]
From lawsuits to mergers and acquisitions at a scale never seen before in real estate and everything in between, 2025 was full of twists, turns and surprises for the housing industry. HousingWire is rewinding and breaking down the biggest storylines in the real estate industry from this past year. There is no doubt that 2025 […]
Mortgage applications decreased 3.8% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Dec. 12. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 5% compared with the previous week. The refinance index decreased 4% from the previous week and was 86% higher than the […]
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) on Tuesday named Bob Hart as president of its ICE Mortgage Technology division. Hart will succeed Tim Bowler, who will transition to ICE’s fixed income and data services division, where he will focus on index development and financial institution infrastructure. The leadership changes take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Hart joined ICE Mortgage […]
Freddie Mac announced Tuesday that its board of directors has selected Kenny M. Smith as the company’s CEO. The move is effective Wednesday and Smith will also serve as a member of the board. Michael Hutchins, who assumed the interim CEO role in March 2025 following the departure of Diana Reid, will continue in his […]
The latest in a string of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts appears to have done little to impact mortgage rates, which have remained steady since the Fed’s Dec. 10 decision to lower benchmark rates by a quarter point. On Monday, Mortgage News Daily reported that 30-year fixed rates averaged 6.29%, down 7 basis points (bps) […]
Mortgage trade groups are supporting limits on disparate-impact liability under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and other proposed changes, according to comment letters submitted Monday to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Consumer advocacy groups, however, are urging the CFPB to withdraw the proposal entirely, warning that it would significantly weaken fair lending protections […]
Informed.IQ, an AI-powered loan verification and fraud prevention company, announced on Tuesday that it raised $63M from Invictus Growth Partners to expand its AI-powered loan verification platform, aiming to reduce fraud and enhance efficiency. Informed.IQ, which serves seven of the top 10 U.S. auto lenders, said its platform has supported over $350 billion in loan […]
Mortgage applications for new home purchases in November 2025 increased 3.1% from a year ago but compared to the previous month, decreased by 7%. That’s according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data. The association disclosed that the change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns. “While the arrival […]
Pennymac cut the ribbon on a new facility in Carrollton, Texas, on Friday, which will become the company’s largest corporate office, eventually housing more than 1,800 employees. The move consolidates two offices in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex while also giving the company room to grow. Pennymac is taking full advantage of the bigger space, actively hiring […]
The legal skirmish between Katie Sweeney and the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) is continuing to develop with a first amended complaint that officially names United Wholesale Mortgage, AIME’s main sponsor, and Sarah DeCiantis, UWM’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, as defendants. Sweeney previously filed a motion on Oct. 28 in the […]
Most Americans hold a favorable view of Social Security, but about one-third are skeptical the program will still exist when they retire, according to new survey data released by the Cato Institute and YouGov. The survey also found that Americans are broadly misinformed about how Social Security works. “Many do not understand how the program […]
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is proposing changes to rules under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to clarify lenders’ responsibilities on issues including disparate impact, discouragement of applicants and special purpose credit programs (SPCPs) that industry leaders say could hurt women’s ability to get a mortgage loan in their own name. The comment […]
Don Goettling, a nearly 40-year veteran of the mortgage and real estate industry, announced last week that he’s committing full time to his role as CEO of Momentum Builder, the company he co-founded in 2018. The organization, which provides resources for housing professionals — including coaching, workshops, events and technology tools — also oversees the […]
Top U.S. mortgage companies have continued to gain market share in 2025 and are positioned to improve their profitability in the coming years. But growing leverage tied to mortgage servicing rights (MSR) investments is contributing to negative outlooks for some competitors, Fitch Ratings said. The credit ratings agency released its periodic peer review of nonbank […]
Funds managed by Blue Owl Capital have committed $2.5 billion to expand Finance of America Companies’ (FOA) home equity offerings and are also investing $50 million in equity in the reverse mortgage lender, the companies announced on Friday. It’s the latest in a string of Blue Owl moves in the home equity space, including a […]
Nonprofit organizations say the Trump administration has dramatically scaled back fair lending oversight — and they’re stepping in to fill the void. In its latest move, the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week announced the rescission of disparate-impact liability from its Title VI regulations, while other parts of the federal government have reduced enforcement of […]
On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Frank Cassidy to be the next Federal Housing Administration (FHA) commissioner and Joe Gormley to be Ginnie Mae‘s new president. The confirmations follow the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs advancing the nominations last month to a full Senate vote. Confirmation hearings for the candidates were held in late […]
Title and real estate services provider Stewart Information Services Corp. is raising nearly $130 million through a stock offering expected to close on Friday. The capital raise comes roughly one month after Stewart announced its $330 million acquisition of the mortgage services division of property preservation provider Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS). Stewart is offering 1.9 […]
Lacey Sullivan To accomplish that, Sullivan will work closely with leaders across the Guaranteed Rate Affinity organization to align the Northern California region’s priorities with the company’s broader business goals. “Stepping into the Regional Manager role with Guaranteed Rate Affinity is an exciting opportunity,” Sullivan said. “I’m looking forward to supporting our teams, strengthening our […]
NewDay USA has hired Michael Gaines as executive vice president of capital markets. Gaines confirmed the news on his LinkedIn account in a post on Dec. 6. “In my first week, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible commitment to serving veterans, service members and their families. I look forward to contributing to this mission and leading […]
In recent weeks, President Trump has increasingly focused on “affordability” as a top priority. When it comes to housing, that means addressing homeownership affordability challenges, which are significant by historical standards. According to a recent Report by the National Association of Realtors, “The share of first-time home buyers dropped to a record low of 21%, […]
Optimal Blue on Wednesday released its November 2025 Market Advantage report, which revealed that mortgage rate-lock activity slowed with typical late-fall seasonality but still posted the strongest November in four years. Total lock volume fell 25% from October but was up 17% from November 2024, driven by strong refinance activity and mortgage rates hovering near […]
Ncontracts, a provider of compliance, risk and vendor management solutions for the financial services industry, released a new survey Tuesday that examines how institutions are managing evolving compliance expectations in 2026. The survey, “The Future of Compliance: Benchmarking the People, Processes, and Pressures Shaping Compliance in 2026,” included responses from 183 financial institutions across various […]
The Federal Reserve delivered another 25-basis-point cut to its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday, setting the target range at 3.5% to 3.75% amid signs of a softening labor market and inflation that’s still above the central bank’s 2% target. The move marks the Fed’s third straight rate cut to end 2025, following 25-bps cuts in […]
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is reopening the public comment period for a review of federal reverse mortgage programs, the agency announced Wednesday in the Federal Register. HUD previously issued a request for information in October, seeking input on the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and HECM Mortgage-Backed Securities (HMBS) programs. […]
Even if mortgage rates fall by 100 bps in 2026, demand for second-lien products is likely to remain strong, as the math continues to be compelling for consumers. Looking at today’s mortgage coupon profile, rates must fall below 4% before more than half the market moves into the money to The following information has haunted […]