Black Knight announced the integration of its digital servicing platform and its Surefire CRM, which it says will enhance customer engagement and retention. Servicing Digital, offered as an app or responsive web design, allows customers to easily access their loan-
Mortgage demand plunges as costs reach new heights
Mortgage demand continues to decline amid surging home loan rates, according to the latest survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The mortgage composite index for the week ending Oct. 7 fell 2% from the prior week and 68.7% compared to the same period
California-based Summit Funding to cut 72 staffers
Sacramento, California-based mortgage lender Summit Funding Inc. plans to make a round of layoffs in late November that will affect 72 employees, according to a document filed with the state’s Employment Development Department. “With the demand for mortgage services falling to its lowest
Opinion: ICE/Black Knight merger could raise mortgage costs
It’s no coincidence that the post-2008 crisis mortgage expansion happened to occur during a period marked by transformative technological change in the industry. However, a double whammy of building economic headwinds and a proposed merger between ICE Mortgage Technology and Black
The standoff between homebuyers and sellers
There’s a showdown at the housing market corral between homebuyers and sellers. (Image by Brandon Johnson/HW Media.) When I came up with the “savagely unhealthy housing market” label in February of this year, it was based on the premise that
Crypto outfit Moon Mortgage raises $3.5M seed round
Moon Mortgage, a crypto-backed mortgage provider, on Tuesday announced raising a $3.5 million seed round, led primarily by Cadenza Ventures and CoinFund. The funds will be utilized to finance its lending product, CryptoMortgage. Moon Mortgage’s CryptoMortgages will allow investors to
AEGIS Land Title acquires Capital Title of Washington
AEGIS Land Title Group last week announced the acquisition of Capital Title of Washington, a boutique independent title and escrow provider operating in the greater Seattle area. Terms of the deal between AEGIS, which is owned and operated by Paul
Mortgage Coach integrates with Insellerate
Mortgage Coach, a mortgage platform that enables lenders to educate borrowers with home loan presentations, announced that its platform will be integrated with Insellerate, a customer relationship management (CRM) platform. The integration streamlines the sales process by enabling loan officers
Lenders One opens first branch inside a Walmart
The first Walmart-based in-store branch from retail mortgage cooperative Lenders One opened this week in Newton, New Jersey. And two additional mortgage branches are expected to open in Walmarts in New Jersey and Florida within the next 30 days. Family
Reinventing lead generation with the Qualified Borrower program
The mortgage industry needs to face the facts: today’s approach to lead generation is broken. For decades, mortgage lenders have relied on purchased lead lists to ferry in loan revenue. Unfortunately, purchased leads are expensive, and their lofty price tag
After forward retail deal with G-Rate collapses, FoA announces wholesale exit
Guaranteed Rate this week walked away from negotiations to acquire Finance of America’s forward mortgage retail channel, which may result in FoA closing the division, sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations told HousingWire. Meanwhile, FoA confirmed Friday that Finance
Rumors of Credit Suisse’s death are greatly exaggerated
Switzerland-based global lender Credit Suisse Group AG had a rough start this week after its stock was beaten down by 11%, the value of its riskiest debt fell more than 10% and the cost of purchasing derivatives insuring against the bank defaulting
HousingWire Magazine: October/November 2022
Brena Nath, Director of HW+ and Events OUR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ISSUE has long focused on the state of housing, but what’s unique about the theme this year is the collaboration and synergies that are happening in the space. The state of
With job growth still strong, the Fed beatings will continue
In late August, Gary Keller told the 11,300 Keller Williams agents, brokers and team leaders gathered in Austin, Texas for Keller Williams Mega Camp that this is the most confusing market he has ever seen. “It’s confusing, and it’s only
In volatile mortgage market, spreads between conforming and jumbo loans widen
The latest weekly survey data from Freddie Mac shows the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage decreased four basis points last week to 6.66%, after jumping 40 basis points in the previous week, reflecting volatility due to the ongoing economic uncertainty. But qualifying
More layoffs at Keller Mortgage
Keller Mortgage, the lending arm of real estate holding company kwx, is the latest firm to be hit by the rapidly decreasing demand for mortgages. On Monday, the company underwent a “mass layoff,” according to posts by former Keller Mortgage
Pennymac unveils a new tech platform for brokers
Pennymac executives say their goal is to become a “dominant player” in wholesale. On Thursday, the publicly traded multichannel lender launched a new technology platform for brokers called “POWER+,” a key step toward generating more broker business. “The platform was
Sandra Thompson talks volatility, affordability challenges, appraisal bias and more
FHFA Director Sandra Thompson The U.S. housing market has faced periods of high interest rates, home price appreciation and lack of inventory before. But these forces all happening at once makes the current landscape especially volatile and challenging, according to
ATTOM integrates NMLS data into platform
ATTOM, a curator of real estate land and property data, on Wednesday announced that its platform has integrated loan originator data from the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS). The company‘s property platform will now be able to provide
loanDepot suspends 401(k) match for employees while boosting exec pay
In an email sent on Tuesday, loanDepot CEO Frank Martell reminded staffers that in times like these, there are “no easy answers.” “We must deal with the realities of our market, face the future with determination, and focus on our
MBA urges White House to cut MI premiums
With housing affordability at an all-time low and accelerating consumer prices disproportionately affecting lower- and middle-income families, the Mortgage Bankers Association this week called on the White House and the Federal Housing Administration to reduce annual mortgage insurance premiums. In
HELOC volume up nearly 50% over first 5 months of 2022
Home-equity lending is on a roll this year, with the combined volume of home-equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and traditional closed-end home equity loans up 47% from January to May of 2022, compared with the same period last year. Nearly
Point Mortgage Corp. exits wholesale channel (for now)
California-based Point Mortgage Corporation has decided to shut down its wholesale business GoPointDirect and lay off employees to focus on retail lending, a top executive confirmed to HousingWire. “We have temporarily taken it down,” Johnny Margarini, president and CEO, said during an interview. “When
Fitch Group adding capital-markets fintech dv01 to its fold
Fitch Group, the parent of bond-rating firm Fitch Ratings, is acquiring a majority ownership stake in capital-markets fintech company dv01 — which provides data and analytics services to the structured-finance market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. It is expected to close