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Mortgage

The originator’s playbook: Competing and growing in a shifting market

Contributors, HWmember, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Non-QM, Opinion /

As interest rates continue to ease and borrower confidence rebuilds, originators are operating in a market that demands both adaptability and creativity. To better understand how mortgage professionals are approaching today’s environment, I asked four experienced originators to share how they’re guiding clients, leveraging non-qualified mortgage (non-QM) solutions, and refining their playbooks to stay competitive. […]

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Bayview closes acquisition of Guild, taking lender private

Guild Mortgage, Mortgage /

Bayview Asset Management has closed its acquisition of Guild Holdings Company, the parent of Guild Mortgage, in a deal that takes the lender private and removes it from the New York Stock Exchange. The transaction was finalized on November 28, according to a new 8-K filing. Under the agreement, shareholders received $20 per share in

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Making the 7-day refi reality: Modernizing mortgage appraisals

Appraisals, Appraisals and Valuations, Contributors, HWmember, Mortgage, Opinion, Refinancing /

For many borrowers, the appraisal is the most stressful step in a refinance: part mystery, part high-stakes hurdle. Will the home appraise high enough? Will it delay closing? What actually determines the final value? Lenders can help ease these concerns by adopting the right combination of technology, strategy, and partnerships to modernize the process. A

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Purchase applications drive small mortgage application increase

HWmember, Mortgage, Mortgage applications, Mortgage Bankers Association, Mortgage Rates, Origination, Purchase Applications, Refinancing /

Despite elevated mortgage rates, mortgage applications increased 0.2% from the prior week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Nov. 21. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 2% compared with the previous week. “Mortgage rates crept higher last week, with the 30-year fixed rate

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FirstClose names Adam Nicholson director of professional services

Accenture, Blend, FirstClose, HWmember, Mortgage, People Movers, Polly, SimpleNexus, Team Leaders /

FirstClose, a fintech provider of data and workflow technology for mortgage and home equity lenders, announced on Tuesday that it has appointed Adam Nicholson as director of professional services. Nicholson, who has spent more than a decade leading implementation and professional service teams in the fintech space, will lead the company’s implementation operations along with

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Kevin Hassett is the rumored lead for Fed chair position

Donald Trump, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve, HWmember, Jerome Powell, Monetary policy, Mortgage, Politics, Regulatory, Trump administration /

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, is the leading candidate to be the next Federal Reserve chair, advisers and allies of President Donald Trump told Bloomberg, as the deadline for a new Fed governor approaches. Trump has voiced his opposition to the current Fed leader, Jerome Powell. Trump has threatened to

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Mortgage prepayments hit 3.5-year high as rates fall in October

Delinquencies, Foreclosure, HWmember, ICE Mortgage Technology, LendingLife, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Origination, Refinancing /

Mortgage prepayments climbed to their highest level in three and a half years in October as lower interest rates prompted more borrowers to refinance, according to ICE Mortgage Technology’s First Look report. The single-month mortality rate, which measures prepayments, rose to 1.01%, up 16 basis points from a year earlier, when mortgage rates were at

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FHFA raises conforming loan limit to $832,750 for 2026

Fannie Mae, FHFA, Freddie Mac, HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, Origination /

The baseline conforming loan limit is set to increase by 3.25% in 2026, with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now authorized to purchase mortgages up to $832,750 for one-unit properties in most parts of the country, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The new limit, aligned with home-price trends, indicates a weaker housing

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The mega-lender myth: Why consolidation won’t deliver the holy grail

Contributors, HWmember, Mortgage, Mortgage Industry, Opinion /

Every few years, someone in mortgage lending announces that we’re witnessing the dawn of the super-lender era. This time, they say, it’s different. The big players have the technology, the capital and the market conditions to finally achieve total vertical integration. Soon, we’ll all either work for a handful of massive institutions or find ourselves

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50-year mortgage proposal could reshape U.S. housing costs

Affordability, Brokerage, Contributors, HWmember, Mortgage, Opinion, Real Estate, Trump administration /

The idea of the 50-year mortgages flooded the news recently. It is the newest attempt by the Trump Administration to bring down housing costs, but I don’t think it was thought through entirely. On paper, it seems like a crazy but good idea. 50 years is a long time, but at least it would allow

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