Appraisal Buzz

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

Called Ask Obi, the new AI assistant is designed to provide mortgage lending executives with instant, actionable insights from their Optimal Blue products and data. The new assistant will be available to Optimal Blue clients for beta testing later this month.

Design 195

Design Lending Mortgage Clients 195

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 1, 2025

Higher mortgage rates are forcing many first-time homebuyers to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach to the market. HomeLight is an Arizona -based real estate platform designed to connect agents with clients. HomeLight is an Arizona -based real estate platform designed to connect agents with clients. 30 and Nov.

Buyers 479

Buyers Real Estate Agent Mortgage Real Estate 479

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 12, 2024

Finance of America (FOA), the leading reverse mortgage lender, presented a robust outlook last week in its third-quarter 2024 earnings and is aiming to hit the ground running with business in 2025. The product was first introduced in 2018, marking the industry’s first-ever second-lien reverse mortgage option.

Modernization 368

Modernization Mortgage Design Advertising 368

Appraisal Buzz

JANUARY 10, 2025

In the modern mortgage industry, lenders are not just setting themselves apart on who has the best Super Bowl ad or the biggest branch footprint, but increasingly also on their approach to technology. Lenders as Tech Providers in the New Era of Mortgage As we move into the era of mortgage digitalization 2.0,

Architecture 397

Architecture Mortgage Technology Modernization 397

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 27, 2024

Reverse mortgage business and mortgage business generally is not where people want it to be. That was a repeated idea shared by a group of reverse mortgage professionals when asked to assess what they see as the biggest industry challenges of the year. I think that’s true from an industry standpoint.

Mortgage 397

Mortgage Retail Lending Business 397

Housing Wire

JUNE 13, 2024

Multichannel mortgage lender New American Funding (NAF) announced this week the relaunch of its initiative designed to recruit, educate and expand loan officer understanding around issues faced by borrowers of color as “ NAF Black Impact.” For us, this is much more than a rebrand of the initiative.

Design 457

Design Bracketing Loan Officers Real Estate Agent 457

Appraisal Buzz

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

As 2025 draws near, mortgage rates are once again in the news. Mortgage Rates to Drop, Increase, & Drop Again in 2025 Although there are indications that mortgage rates may ease in 2025, as we witnessed in 2024, mortgage rates rarely move in the anticipated direction.

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Housing Market Tenants Marketing Mortgage 396

Appraisal Buzz

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

The mortgage servicing landscape has long been a crucible of change, where today’s decisions lay the groundwork for the industry’s future. Formed in 2023, the MSEA is a platform for nurturing the next generation of mortgage leaders. Here’s what our panel of mortgage servicing executives had to share.

Mortgage 410

Mortgage Technology Clients Tools 410

Housing Wire

JANUARY 13, 2025

Once out of harms way, we encourage homeowners in these affected areas to contact their mortgage servicer to learn about relief options. If homeowners have been impacted by the fires, we encourage them to call their mortgage servicer for assistance as soon as possible, she said in a statement.

Mortgage 397

Mortgage Legal Insurance Development 397

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 6, 2025

Interestingly, Batey noted that he and his office have observed a higher level of interest in reverse mortgages from seniors in the area. HousingWire s Reverse Mortgage Daily (RMD) reached out to Batey and did not receive an immediate reply. It had been right at $48,000 last year, but the commission approved to update that to $60,000.

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Property Taxes Mortgage Design Marketing 406

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Guild Mortgage CEO Terry Schmidt said during a third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday that Guild’s reverse mortgage division continues to contribute to companywide strategies, and that additional interest in reverse has been observed. The aging and demographics [provide] great opportunity.

Mortgage 369

Mortgage Lending Investing Design 369

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 18, 2024

As mortgage rates fluctuate based on decreasing housing inventory volume, the appraisal market is more volatile than ever in key areas such as urban and rural communities states like California and Texas. Managing appraisal orders, tracking status, and QC aren’t a problem for a system designed to make lenders’ lives easier.

Appraisal Process 447

Appraisal Process Appraisal Real Estate Inspection 447

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Not long ago, homeowners insurance was a minor concern for most homebuyers, real estate agents and mortgage originators. Impacts to mortgage credit Banks, insurers and regulators have long acknowledged that climate risks could threaten mortgage borrowers’ creditworthiness.

Insurance 482

Insurance Supply Chain Real Estate Design 482

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 9, 2024

The reverse mortgage division of Rate formerly known as Guaranteed Rate recently announced the hiring of reverse industry veteran Jesse Allen as the president for Rates reverse lending division as the company heads into 2025. Naturally, this includes reverse mortgages, he explained. That role is an active one, Allen said.

Mortgage 366

Mortgage Clients Lending Design 366

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 15, 2024

The new guidelines are designed to make it easier for consumers to revoke consent for unwanted robocalls and texts. The effective date for the new rule is April 11, 2025, giving the mortgage and real estate industries roughly six months to become compliant. The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2024, a U.S.

Design 482

Design Real Estate Business Mortgage 482

Housing Wire

APRIL 4, 2025

Reston, Virginia -based mortgage software company RETR announced this week that it has hired two new senior leaders to guide the company’s growth efforts. Before joining RETR, she founded PlacedE, a boutique mortgage recruiting and coaching firm. Heidi Iverson Iverson has 20-plus years of experience across various industries.

Mortgage 326

Mortgage Technology Loan Officers Design 326

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

In most of our remodeling, we use a design technique called Universal Design,” said Brian Harvey, owner of Boston-area business Harvey Home Modifications. That essentially is a design that will serve anyone of any physical capability in the house.”

Design 434

Design Renovations Retail Home Improvement 434

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 21, 2024

Robert Gordon, a senior vice president at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association , told the Journal that mortgage lenders need to be more involved in these processes. But the dynamics are evolving, and the fallout from storms like Helene and Milton are playing havoc with the intersection between mortgage and insurance.

Insurance 497

Insurance Real Estate Agent Construction Development 497

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 30, 2024

A California regulator has revoked the residential mortgage lending license of LoanSnap , the latest in a series of difficulties for the fintech lender. That policy, which is designed to protect consumers from lender fraud and financial risk, expired in early August. The request was pending, but the license was suspended in July.

Landlords 448

Landlords Loan Officers Lending Contracts 448

Housing Wire

APRIL 3, 2025

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Tuesday issued a waiver on quality control (QC) reviews for some newly distressed mortgages in Southern California as homeowners continue to grapple with the effects of the January 2025 wildfires. 7, 2025, and hit the 60-day delinquency mark between Feb. 1 and July 31, 2025. 1 and July 31, 2025.

Mortgage 248

Mortgage Design Insurance Development 248

Housing Wire

JANUARY 22, 2025

Rocket Companies today announced the launch of Rocket.com, officially putting Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Homes on the same platform. Rocket.com is designed for serious buyers and sellers, offering a streamlined path to homeownership, said Jamie Belsky, chief product and design officer at Rocket.

Real Estate Agent 370

Real Estate Agent Design Real Estate Clients 370

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 6, 2025

Describing the modern-day mortgage market as challenging would be an understatement, to say the least. Mortgage interest rates have steadily ramped up throughout 2024. The average rate throughout 2024 for 30-year fixed mortgages was 6.72% higher than it was during the 2008 market crash.

Mortgage 291

Mortgage Training Construction Investors 291

Housing Wire

MARCH 19, 2025

Cardinal Financial Wholesale has introduced Cardinal Complete, a new loan processing solution aimed at streamlining operations for mortgage brokers. The platform offers an end-to-end processing service designed to reduce administrative burdens and improve efficiency from application to closing.

Mortgage 210

Mortgage Design Lending 210

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 22, 2024

The final product Real unveiled at RISE is Real Wallet , a financial platform designed to help agents control and manage their finances. Real Wallet is designed specifically for agents of the future, addressing a critical need by helping them better manage their finances and reinvest in their businesses,” Poleg said. “By

Agents 435

Agents Brokerage Design Clients 435

Housing Wire

APRIL 10, 2025

Florida-based Theoris Software has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) platform, AI agent, it says could transform how mortgage companies handle operations. The platform introduces a digital agent named Alpha7x that automates key processes across the mortgage lifecycle.

Agents 200

Agents Mortgage Tools Loan Officers 200

Appraisal Buzz

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT) has released a new AI adviser for mortgage capital markets called Atlas. platform, Atlas serves as a virtual capital markets expert and educational resource for MCTs mortgage lender clients. Now available within the MCTlive!

Marketing 259

Marketing Mortgage Training Clients 259

Housing Wire

MARCH 4, 2025

Xactus has become the first technology partner to introduce the FICO Score Mortgage Simulator, a new tool designed to help lenders and borrowers understand how credit decisions impact mortgage eligibility. The simulator, developed by FICO , is the only mortgage industry tool that uses FICO scores and FICO score algorithms.

Mortgage 253

Mortgage Tools Design Technology 253

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 28, 2024

“From loan officers to secondary marketing teams and investors, we empower mortgage professionals with tools designed to maximize their profitability on every loan transaction.” ” The announcements were made at MBA Annual in Denver.

Loan Officers 420

Loan Officers Investors Clients Design 420

Housing Wire

APRIL 4, 2025

Following other recent proprietary product development news, Longbridge Financial announced on Friday the launch of a new variation for its private fixed-rate reverse mortgage offering. Platinum Peak is now available in at least two reverse mortgage loan origination systems (LOS) for brokers.

Mortgage 283

Mortgage Home Value Agents Design 283

Housing Wire

JUNE 21, 2024

” According to the announcement released on Tuesday, real estate and mortgage firms can incorporate Identify throughout the consumer experience to verify or reconfirm a person’s identity for any information-sensitive transaction.

Design 444

Design Tools Clients Government 444

Housing Wire

MARCH 26, 2025

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) supported the UDAP policy reversal, arguing that avoided unnecessary oversight and cost increases for consumers and lenders. Ending SPCPs means eliminating initiatives designed to provide targeted financial assistance such as loans or credit to historically underserved or disadvantaged groups.

Mortgage 284

Mortgage Tools Lending Finance 284

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

Buyers using this incentive can qualify for either a 3/2/1 rate buydown on a 30-year FHA Fixed-rate Mortgage or a 3/2/1 rate buydown on a 30-year conventional fixed-rate mortgage. But in Greater Austin , the “Holiday of Homes” offers flex cash — which can be used towards design selections or structural options — and financing.

Retail 418

Retail Finance Development Real Estate 418

Appraisal Buzz

APRIL 4, 2025

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that it will shut down a foreclosure prevention program designed to help veterans who have fallen behind on their mortgages to keep their homes. This change is necessary because VA is not set up or intended to be a mortgage loan restructuring service.

Design 269

Design Mortgage Legal Government 269

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 31, 2024

Certainty is used by mortgage lenders and valuation providers, and ClearValue’s partnership with Restb.ai is designed to allow an AI-powered system to analyze photos of a property for identification and verification purposes. Restb.ai’s technology will be compatible with broker price opinions, appraisals, inspections and forms.

Appraisal Process 453

Appraisal Process Appraisal Valuation Review Valuation 453

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 12, 2024

This comes from a new survey by Down Payment Resource — a nationwide database designed to connect prospective homebuyers to financial assistance opportunities. In 2024, second-lien mortgage programs (20) stand out with the highest number of veteran-tailored DPA programs.

Design 397

Design Realtors Finance Mortgage 397

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

In today’s economy, mortgage rates and housing expenses have consistently risen. However, homeowners have a unique advantage with home equity products—designed to let residents tap into their home’s equity for cash. Mortgage professionals must keep up with the new demand for home equity products in the new market.

Finance 368

Finance Marketing Lending Mortgage 368

Housing Wire

MAY 8, 2024

Fannie Mae announced on Wednesday the availability of a new web-based option for its income calculator tool, which is designed to “help mortgage professionals serve the growing number of mortgage applicants in the U.S. The new option for the tool is available at no additional cost and can be accessed via the company’s website.

Mortgage 467

Mortgage Design Tools Technology 467