Freddie Mac today named Wendell Chambliss, its top counsel for affordable housing goals, as chief diversity and inclusion officer. Chambliss will assume the role April 11. Chambliss will take over for Dionne Wallace Oakley, who has been balancing the diversity
10 Mortgage Shopping Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
Shopping for and securing an affordable mortgage loan is no easy feat. It takes time, research, and effort, and considering it’s a commitment you’ll be locking yourself into for the next 10, 15, even 30 years to come, you need
Forbearance rate declined to just 1.18% in February
Servicers’ forbearance portfolio volume dropped in February for the 21st-consecutive month, with more borrowers current on their mortgage payments due to improvements in the economy and viable loss mitigation options. The total number of loans in forbearance decreased by 12
Renting With Pets: What You Need to Know
Pets are great companions. They provide health benefits like socialization, intellectual stimulation, and companionship while bringing joy to people’s lives. Unfortunately, renting with pets can be difficult; property managers generally view animals as risks and dissuade people from having them
25 Popular Interior Design Styles Defined
When it comes to achieving your dream home interior, knowing which interior design style suits your tastes the best can be overwhelming. Throw in ever-evolving styles and trends, and it can be downright confusing. That’s why learning what sets them
Fannie Mae rolling out its third CRT offering of 2022
Fannie Mae is off to steady start on its path toward issuing $15 billion in notes this year through its Connecticut Avenue Securities (CAS) real estate mortgage investment conduit, or REMIC. The agency is about to unveil its third deal
Opinion: Does your title M&A strategy add up?
Most title business owners dream of the day they can sell the firm they’ve built for the maximum multiple. Others look forward to building their brands with strategic acquisitions when the timing is right. Here are some tips and pointers
What is a Seller’s Disclosure? Here’s Why It’s Important
Whether you’re about to purchase a new condo or sell your current home, there is a lot to learn and paperwork to sign. One of these critical documents is called a seller’s disclosure. A seller’s disclosure, also known as a
Will zombie foreclosures haunt servicers?
During the Great Recession, “zombie foreclosures” were a thorn in the side of servicers. With no money to pay their mortgages, some underwater borrowers simply abandoned their homes. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, zombie foreclosures were one
First Apartment Checklist: What to Buy First to Complete Your Home
Whether you’re starting a new job in your hometown of Nashville, TN or getting a fresh start across the country in Portland, OR, moving into your first apartment is an exciting milestone in life. There’s something surreal about sitting in
Housing Market Predictions 2022: Will it Crash Soon?
Let us discuss the most talked-about housing market predictions for 2022. Here are some educated guesses as to what the future of the US housing market will look like based on what real estate pros are saying. The housing market has
What is a Solarium vs Sunroom?
Whether you’re looking to soak in as much daylight in your backyard in Tampa, FL, or enjoying your coffee on a rainy day in Seattle, WA, solariums can be a unique and gorgeous addition to your home. However, is a
Tomo raises $40M Series A, hits $640M valuation
Tomo, a fintech startup focused on the purchase mortgage sector, announced raising a $40 million Series A led by SVB Capital, according to a press release shared with FinLedger. The fundraise more than doubles Tomo’s valuation to $640 million. It
How to Find a Good Roommate in a New City
Moving to a new city is exciting, however, finding roommates who are responsible, easy to live with, and share similar interests can be difficult. Finding someone that checks off most of your boxes is something to prioritize from the beginning
What is a Walk-Up Apartment? The Pros and Cons
A walk-up apartment is just one of the many different apartments out there. These apartments have been around for centuries and were a very popular option for renters before elevators. Although not the most convenient, it’s a great choice for
What Every Seller Needs to Know
Three things to keep top of mind as you’re making your list of projects to tackle this year.
3 questions lenders should ask before implementing non-QM
With refinance volumes anticipated to decrease by 62% this year and many originatorsexperiencing layoffs, lenders are looking for a way to diversify their offerings with non-QM products and gain new business in order to maintain profits. “I think non-QM could
FHFA wraps up enterprise regulatory capital framework tweaks
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on Friday finalized proposed changes to the enterprise regulatory capital framework. The amendments replace the fixed prescribed leverage buffer amount — currently 1.5% of an enterprise’s adjusted total assets — with a dynamic buffer
How Much Does it Cost to Stage a House?
The day has come – you’re ready to list your home for sale, watch the offers roll in, and move into your next home. But before you put your house on the market, consider staging your home. A staged house
Boston Housing Market: Prices | Trends | Forecasts 2022
The Greater Boston housing market is hot with rising prices as we enter 2022. The sky-high prices, combined with a historic scarcity of housing supply in this region, reflect a sizzling seller’s market. But we are starting to see some
UWM sues two more broker shops for working with Rocket & Fairway
United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) just sued two more broker shops that allegedly violated its controversial broker agreement by sending loans to rivals Rocket Mortgage and Fairway Independent Mortgage. The Pontiac-based wholesale lender filed two lawsuits on Wednesday in Michigan federal
CFPB weighs rulemaking on algorithmic bias in valuation models
CFPB Director Rohit Chopra The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Wednesday that it may propose a rule to regulate the use of automated valuation models (AVMs) by lenders and appraisers. The government watchdog is concerned that automated valuation models
What are you wearing to the Offerpad profitability party?
Offerpad CEO Brian Bair Get out the streamers and kazoos and start preparing the hors d’oeuvres – an iBuying company has reported a year’s worth of profitability. Offerpad Solutions generated $6.5 million for the year 2021, company CEO, chairman and
Waters demands investigation following racist appraiser email
An appraiser who wrote a racist email to a researcher has received a response — but not likely the one he wanted. In an emailed tirade, appraiser Dave LaVigne lambasted appraisal bias researcher Elizabeth Korver-Glenn for her research on appraisal