In recent months, the mortgage industry has been hit with a surge in borrower demand as record-low rates coincide with the unknowns around a global pandemic. “Homeowners and renters have a lot of questions about navigating the financial fallout of
Low mortgage rates fuel demand for valuation and settlement services
HousingWire recently spoke with Keith Murray, president and CEO of VRM Mortgage Services, about the importance of diversity in an organization and how VRM has continued to serve its clients in an unusual year. HousingWire: The term we keep hearing
Ginnie Mae will ban LIBOR-based mortgages
Ginnie Mae, the government-owned corporation that securitizes loans backed by the Veterans Administration and the Federal Housing Administration, said it won’t accept adjustable-rate mortgages benchmarked to the London Interbank Offer Rate, or LIBOR, starting in January. For home equity conversion
Housing market stays hot into fall with mortgage applications up 6.8%
Despite mortgage rates rising slightly from a previously all-time low, mortgage applications gained 6.8% last week, according to a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The refinance index continued its upward climb, gaining 9% last week and jumping 86% higher than
Sales of existing homes surge to a 14-year high
Sales of existing homes rose to a 14-year high of 6 million in August, the National Association of Realtors said in a report on Tuesday. Combined sales of single-family houses, townhomes, condominiums and cooperatively owned apartments rose 2.4% from July,
Inside Rocket’s new strategy to win over mortgage brokers
Just two months after its public debut, Rocket Companies is looking to bulk up its wholesale operation by sweetening the pot for mortgage brokers. The Detroit-based firm, which began 35 years ago as a mortgage broker shop in southeast Michigan,
Wow — 6 million existing home sales! However, context is key with 2020 housing market data
Painter Kenneth Noland said, “Context is key – from that comes the understanding of everything.” Whether that is true in the world of art I could not tell you, but it is most certainly true in the world of economics.
Evolve Mortgage opens another 100 underwriting positions
After hiring 120 underwriters in the past 90 days, Evolve Mortgage Services announced on Monday the company plans to fill another 100 permanent underwriter positions for agency and non-QM loans by the end of the year. Evolve’s announcement is timely
OCC settles with three former Wells Fargo executives
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said on Monday it had settled with three former Wells Fargo executives for their roles in the bank’s fake-account scandal. The settlements include a $925,000 penalty to former Community Bank Group Finance
Fed releases proposal to reform CRA
The Federal Reserve approved a revamp of the anti-redlining rules known as the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA, in a live-streamed meeting on Monday morning and gave 120 days for community and industry feedback. The move comes four months after
Homeowners gain over $620 billion in equity in second quarter
U.S. homeowners with mortgages witnessed a 6.6% year-over-year increase in their equity in the second quarter of 2020 – representing a cumulative gain of $620 billion for the nation and an average $9,800 hike in equity per homeowner, according to
[PULSE] The 2020 refi wave: Where activity is strongest, where it’s not, and what’s ahead
The housing and mortgage markets have been the rare bright spots in an otherwise fragile economy brought forth by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mortgage origination volume this year is on track to be the highest in more than 15 years,
Compliance in the fast lane: Surviving and thriving in a post-COVID regulatory environment
March 2020 is a month the real estate industry will never forget. In a moment’s notice the “nice to have” tasks on our to-do lists became the new crises du jour. Over the course of a few days, much of
Sustainable Living: 10 Tips for a Greener Home
Imagine a house where every electronic component and device is powered by the sun. Where every raindrop that hits your roof is used to water the yard, even on dry days. Where your trash is turned into fertilizer, which in
San Diego Real Estate Market & Investment Overview 2020
Home prices are rising across the Southern California housing market despite the pandemic. San Diego area is also a strong seller’s real estate market. For sellers, now is the opportune time to put their San Diego home up for sale.
Affordable Areas Outside Big Cities Are Heating Up the Fastest As the Pandemic Changes Homebuyers’ Priorities
Relatively inexpensive areas outside major cities—like El Dorado County, just east of Sacramento, and Camden County, across the river from Philadelphia—are gaining ground with homebuyers as New York City and San Francisco lose steam. Housing markets that offer homebuyers more
Beeline will hire 120 employees for newest office in Charlotte
Digital lender Beeline announced on Friday the company plans to officially open its second U.S. office in Charlotte, N.C. in October. With this latest addition, Beeline aims to hire 120 employees to its Charlotte location over the course of the
Fall Lawn Maintenance
Curb appeal is for all seasons. Temperatures are cooling as Autumn is upon us. Now is the time to take a look around the outside of your home with a critical eye.Early fall is a great time to plant grass seed filling in bare or damaged areas of your lawn. Overseeding is the process of […]
The post Fall Lawn Maintenance appeared first on Signature Real Estate Services.
A who’s who of Biden economic advisors
The group of people advising former Vice President Joe Biden on the economy is dominated by people who worked in the Obama administration, according to Beacon Policy Advisors. Biden has surrounded himself with economic advisers that offer viewpoints ranging from
Pandemic drives more interest in real estate careers
For Victoria Murphy, a RE/MAX agent in Oahu, Hawaii, getting her Realtor license was always a part of her plan. But shut-down orders in March helped push the college student to get it done. Murphy said the shut-down gave her
MBA: 11 million households fell behind on rent or mortgages in second quarter
In the second quarter of 2020 nearly 11 million households fell behind on their rent or mortgages – however nearly triple that number, approximately 30 million individuals, missed at least one student loan payment, according to a recent report from
People movers: Churchill Mortgage, Zumper, Verity Global Solutions, NYC Housing Partnership
Churchill Mortgage has added Randy Starkweather to its executive team, naming him chief financial officer where he will be responsible for overseeing the company’s financial operations and performance. Starkweather brings more than 35 years of executive management experience to the
Keller Williams adds Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to leadership council
Last week, Keller Williams’ International Agent Leadership Council voted unanimously on a motion to amend its belief system and to add an additional committee, as introduced by Kymber Menkiti and John Clidy, co-chairs of the KW National Social Equity Task
What conversion rate should real estate agents expect when they purchase leads?
No matter how experienced a real estate agent is, he or she relies on leads for business growth. And, since a National Association of Realtors survey showed that 53% of buyers in 2019 used an agent that was either referred
