Economic growth is expected to slow in 2026 and remain below trend for several years as higher interest rates and lingering inflation pressures weigh on the U.S. economy, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s December Economic and Mortgage Finance forecasts. MBA economists Mike Fratantoni, Joel Kan and Judie Ricks wrote that the forecasts show 2025 […]
MBA 2026 forecast: Slow growth amid inflation, rate hikes Read More »
In a wholesale mortgage market dominated by giants, Arizona-based lender The Loan Store (TLS) has found a way to grow quickly by hiring a team of “samurai” account executives and underwriters from across the industry and picking up loans that others would deny. In the first nine months of 2025, the company doubled its origination
How The Loan Store doubled volume in a crowded wholesale market Read More »
Real estate technology company reAlpha Tech Corp. has closed a deal to acquire lender InstaMortgage Inc. for $8.5 million in a cash-and-stock transaction. The move will add direct lending capabilities and expand multi-licensing structure to reAlpha’s existing mortgage brokerage operations, the company announced Tuesday. Founded in 2008, InstaMortgage has originated more than $4 billion in
reAlpha acquires InstaMortgage for $8.5M to expand lending Read More »
CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) announced Wednesday that it’s welcoming the Victor Alpha Group to the company. Led by the husband-and-wife duo of Patton Gade and Shari Gade, the team brings more than 20 mortgage professionals with military ties to CCM. “This team exemplifies the values that define CrossCountry Mortgage,” Ron Leonhardt, founder and CEO of CrossCountry
CrossCountry Mortgage adds top VA loan producer Patton Gade Read More »
Mortgage applications decreased 3.8% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Dec. 12. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 5% compared with the previous week. The refinance index decreased 4% from the previous week and was 86% higher than the
Mortgage demand drops, but refi share reaches highest level since September Read More »
Optimal Blue on Wednesday released its November 2025 Market Advantage report, which revealed that mortgage rate-lock activity slowed with typical late-fall seasonality but still posted the strongest November in four years. Total lock volume fell 25% from October but was up 17% from November 2024, driven by strong refinance activity and mortgage rates hovering near
November mortgage lock data driven by strong refinance activity Read More »
Blue Owl Capital announced Tuesday that it’s making a $2.5 billion commitment in funds it manages to home equity investment (HEI) platform Point. The newss comes just one month after the companies issued the largest securitization ever completed in the HEI space. The new capital will allow Palo Alto, California-based Point to originate about $10
Blue Owl funds commit $2.5B to Point for home equity investments Read More »
UWM has boosted its tech ecosystem with new tools and major upgrades to its core platforms: Brand 360 + Canva, its marketing hub that now pairs broker branding with real-time, trend-driven content creation; Loan Lab, an interactive sandbox that lets brokers model scenarios and compare loan options before finalizing them on live loans; and its
How UWM’s Newest Tech Additions Giving Brokers Unmatched Growth, Speed and Control Read More »
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
Purchase applications drive small mortgage application increase Read More »
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
Mortgage prepayments hit 3.5-year high as rates fall in October Read More »