Author name: Ricky Vasquez

Why Section 8 cuts are a mortgage market threat

As federal budget negotiations intensify, some policymakers have floated deep cuts to the Housing Choice Voucher Program, better known as Section 8. For those in favor of reducing funding for the program, it’s simply a line item to trim. But for those of us in housing finance, it’s a structural pillar. Gutting this program would […]

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Powell: Fed policy review honing in on communication

Powell: Fed policy review honing in on communication

Federal Reserve Board Communication practices have taken center stage in the Federal Reserve’s review of its monetary policy framework.  In a Thursday morning speech, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said communication practices — particularly during times of heightened uncertainty — have been focal points during both internal and external discussions in recent months related to the

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Mortgage defects saw a dramatic decline in 2024

The national critical defect rate for mortgages fell to 1.16% in the fourth quarter of 2024. That marked the second-lowest level on record, according to a report released Thursday by ACES Quality Management. For the entire calendar year of 2024, the average critical defect rate was 1.52%, down 9.52% from 2023. Post-closing quality control data

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Layoffs hit Dark Matter Technologies

Dozens of employees at mortgage tech firm Dark Matter Technologies were laid off on Monday, multiple sources told HousingWire. It’s unclear how many were laid off, but sources said it was “massive” and impacted staffers in a variety of roles. Former employees told HousingWire the reason cited for the layoffs was the shaky “economy” and

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Deregulation is the new norm at the CFPB, and banks love it

Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s headquarters located in Washington D.C.Frank Gargano The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been in a freefall since former Director Rohit Chopra was ousted in February, kickstarting a game of musical chairs at the top of the agency

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10 states with the highest and lowest percentage of non-current loans

Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. The 13 states with the highest percentage of non-current mortgage loans had an average non-current loan percentage of 5.1%, with an average year-over-year change of 0.7%, as of March 31. The 11 states with the lowest percentage of non-current loans had an

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Loan defect share improved even as mortgage rates rose in 4Q

The volatile mortgage rate environment in the fourth quarter last year did not impact the quality of closed applications, with critical defects falling to their second lowest level on record, Aces Quality Management found. “Lenders made meaningful progress in loan quality in 2024, closing the year with one of the lowest quarterly critical defect rates

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FOA president talks business progress amid strong Q1 earnings

One of the nation’s leading reverse mortgage lenders, Finance of America (FOA), posted strong first-quarter 2025 earnings results. The company beat its estimates for funded loan volume, posted a profit and maintains a bullish outlook for the quarter ahead. Drilling down deeper into the marketing and product landscape for the company, FOA President Kristen Sieffert

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Americans are living longer — but they aren’t prepared for retirement impacts

While on its face it represents positive momentum for health in the U.S., rising life expectancy also comes with a key financial concern — longevity risk, or the potential for someone to outlive their retirement savings. This is a key challenge that many prospective retirees may not be ready for. This is according to research

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