Contracts, Invoices & Legal

Mortgage lenders test crypto-backed mortgages as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac review digital assets in underwriting, weighing risk, non-QM loans and access for nontraditional homebuyers. View the full article

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will face an existential crisis in 2026 between the The President administration's efforts to shut down the agency and the employee union and consumer advocates who want to stop them. View the full article

CMBS originated between 2017 and 2021 are especially vulnerable. Brighton counsels CMBS lenders to expect clear workout memos. View the full article

The MBA's Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, dropped 5% on a seasonally-adjusted basis and 6% on an unadjusted basis. View the full article

Fannie Mae sees growth in refinance activity pushing volumes upward, but flattening purchases will temper lender momentum, according to its December report. View the full article

The bank regulator is proposing to strengthen national preemption in the wake of conflicting decisions in related court cases. View the full article

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage dropped 3 basis points this week, its lowest level since October and just over its 52-week bottom, Freddie Mac reported. View the full article

Wellness rooms, thoughtful sensory inputs and layouts that boost functionality can reduce workplace stress. View the full article

Despite certain pronouncements otherwise, rumors of email's demise have been gravely exaggerated, as recent data shows it's not only still around, it's ubiquitous. View the full article

A rise in issuance of nonqualified mortgages and seconds is in the forecast but home prices, credit and the GSEs may impact private-label bonds' trajectory. View the full article

The regulator lowered benchmarks for acquisitions of certain single-family loans including low-income refinances, and left multifamily targets intact. View the full article

Three US senators opened an inquiry into insurance ratings firm Demotech and whether its assessments may be exposing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to growing risks tied to climate-driven insurer failures. View the full article

The announcement follows Realpha's two previous mergers with mortgage brokerages, as well as its purchases of AI firms and title businesses. View the full article

A group of 22 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Russell Vought, the bureau and the Federal Reserve, arguing that the administration's position that the CFPB cannot be funded is wrong. View the full article

The national mortgage delinquency rate jumped to 3.85% in November, up 15% month over month and 2.79% year over year, according to ICE Mortgage Technology. View the full article

A California judge dismissed 13 claims against United Wholesale Mortgage that alleged the lender disclosed personal information to third parties. View the full article

AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping mortgage marketing, forcing lenders to rethink SEO, brand authority and how they show up as consumers turn to generative search for answers. View the full article

The carryovers range from some $2.4 million in California and some $1.9 million in Texas to $44,851 in Alaska and $39,297 in Vermont. View the full article

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended approval of Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed acquisition of Comerica. View the full article

The judge's order allows potentially thousands of consumers to join the lawsuit against the company, similar to other fights between borrowers and servicers. View the full article

Overall satisfaction is highest when customers receive status updates from mobile apps, according to the J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Claims Digital Experience Study. View the full article

The inventory slowdown came as properties sold for 1.6% below asking prices, with some sellers opting to remove their listings altogether, according to Redfin. View the full article

Our experts expect a mortgage market reset in 2026 with an uptick in originations, but warn lenders not to skimp on compliance even as the reins loosen. View the full article

Principal will be distributed pro rata among the senior A1 through A3 certificates, and subordinate bonds will not receive any principal until all senior classes are reduced to zero. View the full article