HousingWire recently spoke with Amanda Phillips, ACES Quality Management’s EVP of Compliance, about the current compliance landscape with CFPB updates and how lenders can ensure they’re compliant with fair lending and fair servicing. HousingWire: How does Fair Lending affect
The legal battle between REX Homes and NAR heats up
Discount brokerage REX Homes (Real Estate Exchange, Inc.) filed a motion on Thursday in federal district court in Seattle challenging the legality of the National Association of Realtors’ claims that REX pushes false advertising, which the trade group alleged in
CoStar downplays employee attrition, readies resi war chest
CoStar continues to grow and make money, and if you don’t like it – tough. “Like any company we have people who decide the demands of the environment are not for them and that’s fine,” said Andy Florance, CoStar’s CEO,
Interest in refis sinks even further
Mortgage applications decreased 13.1% for the week ending Feb. 18 to the lowest level since December 2019, as mortgage rates eclipsed the 4% mark. The Mortgage Bankers Association‘s seasonally adjusted refi index fell 15.6% from the previous week, bringing its
Home prices skyrocketed in December
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city price index posted a 18.6% year-over-year gain in December, up marginally from 18.3% the previous month. The index increased 1.5% from November 2021. The national home price index showed similar helium, with an 18.8% growth rate between
Regulators show united front on targeted lending programs
Federal finance and housing regulators today issued a statement to assure lenders they are on the same page when it comes to special purpose credit programs. The missive from the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of
What should lenders look for in servicing solutions?
With rising interest rates and compressed margins, many lenders are looking totheir servicing business to grow revenue. However, working with borrowers exitingforbearance programs adds another layer to an already complex process whichcould raise costs. Lenders who want to thread the
8 Key Tips for First-Time Apartment Renters
Whether you’re moving out of your parent’s house or leaving the dorm life behind, becoming a first-time apartment renter is a big and exciting step. However, if you don’t know the ins and outs of the rental process, the task
Commercial vs Residential Real Estate Investing: Which is Better?
In the debate between residential vs commercial real estate investment, many ask, “Which is better?” The answer depends on a variety of factors such as your budget, your existing area of expertise, and your risk tolerance. We’ll explain how each
Home Energy Audit Checklist
We have so many ways to measure the efficiency of our work, our cars, and other areas of our lives. But how do you measure the efficiency of your home? The answer is simple: a home energy audit. Although it
How To Become A Real Estate Mogul or Multi-Millionaire?
Becoming a real estate mogul is every investor’s dream. If you’ve been in the business of real estate investing, you must have had that burning desire inside your heart to know, “how to become a real estate mogul.” What is
13 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home
The science behind climate change can be overwhelming and complex. When it comes to its impact on the future, much is still undetermined. So how can you take control and do your part to help slow the impact of climate
Move-in Checklist: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants
Before new tenants start unpacking their boxes and settling into their new rental property, there is one very important document that needs to be completed, the move-in checklist. A move-in checklist, also called an apartment inspection checklist or a rental
New House Checklist: What to Do Before Moving In
After all the paperwork, long nights, and the back and forth with your real estate agent – you did it, you have the keys to your new home. So what’s next? You may have the urge to start making your
Basement Remodeling: How Much Does it Cost to Finish a Basement?
Picture your unfinished basement – a cold, dark, uninviting space that you have been wanting to finish for years. An unfinished basement is the perfect blank slate to design a space that fits your needs. You can create an extra
Are refinance and agency volumes truly threatened in 2022?
It is possible to continue to increase your volume this year despite current challenges. We know that refinance volume is declining, Agency business will shrink and get more expensive and an increasing number of borrowers will not qualify under Agency
Mortgage rates blow past industry predictions
Some mortgage rate indices topped 4% on Thursday, blowing past predictions that rates might reach those levels by the end of 2022. Economists had predicted rates would rise as the overall economy stabilized. The latest mortgage rate survey from Freddie
Will rising interest rates impact VA loans for first-time homebuyers?
The VA loan is an important financing tool for VA-eligible borrowers to achieve their homeownership dream. In 2021 one in two VA borrowers was a first-time homebuyer (FTHB). Last year, mortgage interest rates reached record lows. The average VA FTHB’s interest rate was 2.90% and the quarterly FTHB VA purchase loan volume stayed elevated. In
As the market shifts to purchase, LOs get creative
Maryland has over a dozen Eastern European stores that sell products like caviar, pumpernickel bread and salo, a Ukrainian-style bacon. Apart from selling produce that is popular in former Soviet countries, these stores represent a marketing opportunity for Alex Naumovych,
Mr. Cooper, Sagent to jointly build cloud servicing platform
Mr. Cooper, one of the nation’s top servicers, and Sagent, a loan servicing software developer, announced on Friday that they will join forces to create a cloud-native servicing platform. The definitive agreement reached by both parties stipulates that Mr. Cooper
Dallas Real Estate Market: Prices | Trends | Forecasts 2022
The Dallas housing market is doing great after recovering from the blows of the pandemic since July of the pandemic year. Demand for single-family homes has risen and supply has lagged since the second half of 2020. According to Texas
HW+ Virtual 2022 Forecast Event
Forecasts take on a new meaning this year as we enter our second year of economic forecasting in a COVID-19 world. This 2022 forecast event brought together some of the top economists and researchers in the housing space, equipping attendees
Licking its wounds, Zillow bets on a ‘housing super app’
Zillow CEO Rich Barton. When Zillow stunned the housing world last November by announcing a wind down of its iBuying program – and beginning the process of laying off a quarter of its workforce – the question became what’s next.
Latest Better exit? It’s the head of real estate
Back in August, Christian Wallace spoke effusively about her future at Better.com. The digital lender generated so much money through mortgage refinancing that it bankrolled a formidable real estate division. And Wallace, a former Sotheby’s agent and Opendoor manager, was