Loan volume through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is up 45% during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. That’s according to an analysis of VA loan data released Wednesday by Veterans United Home Loans. The analysis, based on lending data from the first half of fiscal year […]
VA loans are up 45% annually as Gen Zers lead the charge Read More »
Former loanDepot CEO Frank Martell has officially moved on. SmartRent Inc., a provider of smart community technology solutions for the rental housing industry, on Monday announced that Martell will take on the roles of president and CEO effective immediately. Martell, who has been a member of SmartRent’s board of directors and served on the board’s
Frank Martell leaves loanDepot, takes CEO role at SmartRent Read More »
As of April 2025, the typical U.S. homebuyer’s down payment was $62,468, down roughly 1% on a yearly basis and the first annual decline in nearly two years. That’s according to a new report from Redfin that’s based on an analysis of records across 40 of the most populous U.S. metropolitan areas. In percentage terms,
Down payments shrink as homebuyers scoop up FHA, VA loans Read More »
Welcome back to Tech Pulse — a new weekly series rounding up the latest in technology, including tools, integrations and trends impacting mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: UWM’s Jason Bressler challenges the fear-driven narrative around AI in mortgage lending At HousingWire’s The Gathering, United Wholesale Mortgage Chief Technology Offficer Jason Bressler challenged fears about
Tech Pulse: UWM challenges industry AI fear; Optimal Blue automates refi opportunities Read More »
The cost of owning a home in the U.S. has jumped sharply in recent years, reaching an average of more than $1,700 per month in 2023 — a 17% increase since 2020 — according to an analysis by First American senior economist Sam Williamson. Using the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, Williamson found that
First American: Rising costs squeeze homeownership for millions Read More »
While the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) under President Joe Biden proposed a transition from a tri-merge to a bi-merge credit report system, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is now assessing the feasibility of moving to a single credit report for mortgage underwriting. Bob Broeksmit, president and CEO of the MBA, wrote in a blog
MBA, FHFA explore single credit report for mortgages Read More »
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Ginnie Mae on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a South Korean housing finance authority, with the goal of increasing investment in U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities. The agreement, signed with the Korea Housing Finance Corp. (KHFC), “underscores a shared commitment to expanding access
HUD signs agreement with South Korean housing finance agency to spur MBS investment Read More »
Mortgage veteran Glenn Stearns is taking a different approach with his latest venture. Kind Lending, a national wholesale mortgage lender and his second brainchild, is built on lean operations and a focus on efficiency — a contrast with his first company, Stearns Lending, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019. “This is not our
How midsize lenders are surviving the mortgage squeeze Read More »
The non-QM space has long provided a valuable path for foreign nationals and global investors to purchase property in the United States. While these borrowers may follow a less traditional route, they play an essential role in the diversity and strength of the housing market. Even more importantly, non-QM serves international investors and domestic borrowers
This is how non-QM is critically helping achieve the American Dream Read More »
A federal judge on Thursday blocked an attempt by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to reverse a $105,000 settlement with Townstone Financial, a Chicago-based mortgage broker accused of discouraging Black applicants. U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama ruled that allowing the CFPB to unwind the deal, finalized last year, “would erode public confidence in the
Judge blocks CFPB bid to undo Townstone redlining settlement Read More »