Contracts, Invoices & Legal

Remodeling sentiment dipped slightly in Q1 but stayed well above the neutral mark, as the lock-in effect of elevated mortgage rates kept homeowners investing in their current homes. View the full article

In an update to its seller and servicer guide, Fannie Mae laid out details on responsibilities for vendor oversight and the need for transparent AI policy. View the full article

The integration allows servicers on ICE's MSP platform to deploy Kastle's AI agents without building custom infrastructure, Kastle said. View the full article

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has dismissed scores of enforcement attorneys early in President Donald The President's second term, is staffing up its litigation arm in anticipation of defending its rules in court. View the full article

Sheer luck kept all but one hurricane from U.S. shores in 2025; one landfall in 2026 could devastate servicers. View the full article

Being a diversified global bank, Goldman Sachs was "broadly seen favorably as a relatively safe haven type of credit," said Tony Trzcinka, an investment grade portfolio manager at Impax Asset Management. View the full article

Adjustable rate mortgages accounted for 12% of total home loan volume in March, reaching its highest share of the market since October 2022. View the full article

Financial institutions that are members could gain access to expedited funding through a Fed partnership and advances secured by a broader range of collateral. View the full article

Lending for new single-family homes jumped 11% from a year ago and 26% from February, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. View the full article

Company team members, including those in affiliated business arrangements, will be eligible; real estate and joint venture agent partners will not be. View the full article

About 43% of Americans upgraded their homes last year, and 33% plan to remodel in the next year, according to a recent survey from Redfin. View the full article

While last year was the best for origination income since 2022, annual net servicing revenue for mortgage bankers was approximately 70% below 2024's level. View the full article

The bank's marketing, which hid the nature of its solicitations, led some borrowers to apply for cash-out refis that increased monthly payments, the OCC said. View the full article

SecurityNational Mortgage Co. alleges that the larger competitor facilitated the mass resignation of its staff from Glendale and Scottsdale offices. View the full article

Oil prices and Treasury yields continued their close correlation Friday, with crude falling $12 and the 5-year yield hitting recovery lows after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz open during the ceasefire. View the full article

Questions about the single-report option and whether VantageScore should be introduced before FICO 10T arose during a hearing on broader legislative proposals. View the full article

Surge, which claims to serve some of the nation's larger wholesale players, said the lender's behavior was reminiscent of its spat with Black Knight. View the full article

CEO Tim Spence said folding in the acquired bank has gone to plan so far, but the biggest point of risk is still on the horizon. View the full article

Sun Belt states saw a noticeable surge in liens filed last year, with Florida accounting for 17% of the national total, according to Benutech. View the full article

Treasurys posted solid gains Friday as oil futures dropped $15 a barrel, while the S&P 500 logged its 10th straight day of higher highs, according to the head of correspondent business development at AD Mortgage. View the full article

Over half of all second-home inventory in the U.S. is concentrated in just eight states, with Florida leading the pack, according to analysis by NAHB. View the full article

Certain affiliates of Blue Owl will acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of the healthcare-focused real estate investment trust for $30.38 per share. View the full article

Mortgage lenders' crisis communications frameworks are too slow for today's markets, leaving dangerous narrative gaps, according to the founder of ClearLine. View the full article

Developers including D.R. Horton Inc., Lennar Corp. and KB Home all missed expectations last quarter and estimates suggest both sales and earnings have fallen further as conflict in the Middle East unsettled buyers and raised costs. View the full article

Some litigants are "knuckleheads" but others are real threats, and well-pleaded cases can easily cost companies millions of dollars, TCPA attorney Eric Troutman said. View the full article