Contracts, Invoices & Legal

The Federal Reserve chair said there is 'room for improvement' in how the central bank conveys economic uncertainties to markets and the broader public. View the full article

The judge sided with Massachusetts officials in a review of their lawsuit against Hometap, who pushed back on descriptions of its products as "illegal" loans. View the full article

The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose slightly to 6.86% last week, as economic volatility calmed following the Federal Reserve's recent inaction. View the full article

Some policies the industry group is calling for the Office of Management and Budget to definitively rescind have already been pulled back to some degree. View the full article

Lower is acquiring a top-five ranked real estate portal to create an "end-to-end homeownership platform" to rival Rocket Mortgage. View the full article

As private credit tops $1 trillion, Fed researchers warn bank exposure to the sector could spark systemic risk if defaults spike. View the full article

US states from Florida to North Carolina and Texas would likely hold onto top-notch credit scores from Moody's Ratings, mostly because they're in better fiscal shape than the federal government itself. View the full article

A growing supply of unsold inventory applied downward pressure on prices, offering home buyers some relief, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. View the full article

Banks scored well in the tax bill out of Ways and Means this week, with wins on S Corps and rural lending, but have so far lost out on credit union taxes and additional burdens on payments competitors. View the full article

The title insurance industry, highly dependent on mortgage origination volume, recovered after watching volume fall 31% in 2023 and 16% in 2022. View the full article

Months after OceanFirst Financial settled federal redlining allegations, it received the highest possible Community Reinvestment Act rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. CEO Christopher Maher said the bank made a "significant effort" to introduce its lending products to markets it had recently entered via acquisition. View the full article

Starting with the client for life concept, executives from Rocket and CMG Financial described what is happening at their nonbanks to achieve future success. View the full article

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said in a speech Wednesday that elevated tariffs will likely lead to inflation, but time will tell how impactful that spike in prices might be. View the full article

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said global supply chain disruptions and inflation caused by tariffs could weigh heaviest on small businesses, especially those with little access to credit. View the full article

Bond yields are shooting up for the second time in as many months. Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller attributes the volatility to concerns about rising national debt levels. View the full article

The state's regulator said the insurer must show it will cover more homeowners, and be more transparent. Consumer advocates want more concessions, saying the insurance crisis can't be solved on the backs of homeowners. View the full article

The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage rose 6 basis points to 6.92% in the week ended May 16, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. View the full article

Mortgage bankers have been supporting recent updates to the legislative proposal while urging legislators to fast-track it given the phaseout of VASP. View the full article

The builder reported increased revenue from a year ago, with profits near par, as it sets to absorb new acquisitions across different lines of business. View the full article

Alanna McCargo said her return comes at a time when there are "significant policy challenges ahead for affordability, community investment and inclusive finance." View the full article

Getting settlement agents and other stakeholders involved was a challenge, but e-note use has finally become routine for some mortgage lenders buying loans. View the full article

Discrepancies between servicer and investor systems have been rare recently but the dollar amounts involved magnify the impact, according to PMSI's CEO. View the full article

The increase in purchase mortgage rate lock volume provides support for those looking for a strong Spring market this year, Optimal Blue found. View the full article