Private equity firm Gridiron Capital has acquired Michigan-based appraisal management company Class Valuation from another private equity player, Narrow Gauge Capital, the firms said in a statement on Friday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though Narrow Gauge will
Are Closing Costs Tax Deductible?
There are some great benefits that come with homeownership. Things like the ability to make improvements to your home increased wealth due to an increase in your home’s value through the years, and certain tax advantages. But what if you
Ginnie Mae loans lead drop in forbearance to 4.66%
Servicers’ total number of loans in forbearance fell a whopping 24 basis points to 4.66% of portfolio volume during the first full week of April, according to a survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association – one of the biggest drops
Are We In a Housing Bubble? Will the Housing Market Crash in 2021?
Today’s housing market is fierce! Due to remote work and record-low mortgage rates, Americans are relocating and purchasing homes at an all-time high. However, there is a major problem – there aren’t nearly as many homes for sale as there
Fannie Mae exec Andrew Peters leaves for Lenderworks
National mortgage services provider Lenderworks has brought on Fannie Mae‘s head of single-family strategy Andrew Peters as president, the company said Monday. Peters served as a strategy consultant for the government sponsored enterprise before rising to the position of vice
How to Build the Outdoor Kitchen of Your Dreams
An outdoor kitchen can be a major benefit to any home, making it possible to hold barbecues, pool parties, and picnics without having to cook indoors and miss all the fun. The right outdoor kitchen can increase property values and
William Raveis ain’t no stinkin’ iBuyer
Residential brokerage and mortgage lender William Raveis is buying its clients’ homes across New England, the tri-state area and Florida. But don’t confuse its new program with iBuying – they’re looking to solve the sell-before-you-buy dilemma in a different manner. “We’re
GSEs won’t buy QM loans under GSE Patch after July 1
In Lender Letters issued on Thursday, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac confirmed that loans purchased by the GSEs with application dates on and after July 1, 2021, must meet the standards of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Revised Qualified Mortgage
Voxtur acquires appraisal software firm Anow
Canadian real estate technology company Voxtur Analytics Corp. closed on the acquisition of appraisal management software firm Appraisal Now for approximately $30.5 million, the company said this week. “This strategic acquisition bolsters recurring revenues and accelerates the development of Voxtur’s
Targeting first-generation homebuyers for financial help
The Urban Institute‘s Housing Finance Policy Center recently posited that down payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers could help turn the tide of systemic racism by reducing intergenerational wealth disparities. Researchers said federal, state, and local housing policies have “systematically excluded
How student lending can benefit non-bank lenders
Over the last several years, non-bank mortgage originators have established a much larger market share. Additionally, non-bank servicers have more than doubled their ownership of servicing rights in the last 10 years. This gives non-bank lenders and servicers significantly greater
The business case for accessory dwelling units
One of Mighty Buildings 3D-printed ADUs. Photo credit: Mighty Buildings Aging parents. College students returning to the fold. Millennials seeking affordable housing in high-priced markets. People with disabilities who can live on their own but need a little family support.
Better.com nabs $500 million investment from SoftBank
Better.com has received a $500 million investment from SoftBank that values the digital mortgage lender at about $6 billion, CNBC reports. Although the news was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, CNBC confirmed the news later with sources familiar
When Is the Right Time to Downsize Your Home? 8 Signs It’s Now
As we grow older, our needs and capabilities change, and not all homes are designed to support this change along with us. It’s common to upsize your home when your household is growing – whether to accommodate children, pets, or
JPMorgan Chase adds exec to correspondent team
JPMorgan Chase has appointed Bhavesh Patel to lead client management for the bank’s correspondent lending channel. As director of client management, Patel will focus on improving the client experience and driving future growth for the business, which is growing at
A transparent foreclosure marketplace reveals hidden equity
Over the past five years, more than $1.2 billion in potential home equity has been uncovered for distressed homeowners facing foreclosure. That $1.2 billion is the amount of surplus funds generated by foreclosure sales on the Auction.com platform between 2016
How To Modernize Your Home on a Budget
We all have spent a great deal of time in our homes over this past year. And like the rest of us, you probably spent a good chunk of time browsing your favorite real estate app. If so, it’s probably
The housing boom juices Home Depot’s bottom line
Millions of Americans transitioned to remote work in 2020, reconfiguring homes to be makeshift classrooms and offices. One of the big beneficiaries of the new live/work/play setup has been home goods retailer Home Depot. A recent report from TradingPlatforms noted
HousingWire’s 2021 Women of Influence nominations are open!
First introduced in 2010, HousingWire’s Women of Influence award recognizes outstanding women in housing who are moving markets and paving the way for other women around them to do the same. Last year’s winners were truly outstanding and exemplified what
These are the most competitive housing markets in the U.S.
In the most competitive housing markets in the country, virtually every buyer has immaculate credit, a few hundred thousand dollars – or more – for a downpayment and knows what their mortgage options are. Not that many of the buyers even
Notarize invites independent notaries to utilize software
Notarize announced Wednesday that it will now allow independent notaries – of which there are 4.4 million in the U.S. – to utilize its software and platform for their own independent transactions. The software will be available to notaries in
Passive Income Ideas 2021: 28 Best Sources To Earn More Money
There has never been a better time to make passive income as a beginner. Over the past decade, some incredible passive income ideas and streams have come to exist making it even easier for beginners to make extra money. Passive
Does CFPB have authority to postpone foreclosures?
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a proposed rule on Monday that would bar servicers from starting on foreclosures until 2022. The CFPB also proposed streamlined processes for moving homeowners out of forbearance and in to loss mitigation options. However,
Rising rates push mortgage applications down for fifth week
Mortgage applications decreased for the fifth straight week – this time down 5.1%, according to the latest report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. As has been the case for several weeks now, rising mortgage rates and low inventory are contributing to the slowdown in mortgage