Contracts, Invoices & Legal

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told reporters Wednesday that he would remain on the Fed board after his term as chair expires next month, resolving the last and most significant open question about his departure and the onset of Kevin Warsh's leadership at the central bank. View the full article

President Biden had issued a rule in 2024 requiring newly constructed homes to abide by an energy mandate to be eligible for FHA- or USDA-backed mortgages. View the full article

Eligible purchases with the Better Home Equity Card, which lets homeowners instantly spend funds drawn from a home equity line of credit, earn 1% cashback. View the full article

Kevin Warsh's nomination to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve passed through the Senate Banking committee in a party-line vote. View the full article

Using a non-GAAP measurement, the real estate investment trust, preparing to be bought by CrossCountry, reported a $25 million loss for the first quarter. View the full article

The government-sponsored enterprise recorded $98.7 billion in single-family loan acquisitions to begin the year, including over $43 billion in refinances. View the full article

Bank groups said that although the Federal Reserve's eased capital plans are a major improvement over previous versions, the recent proposals still need changes to help avoid risk assessments they say may hinder banks' ability to boost lending. View the full article

Housing starts increased 10.8% to an annual pace of 1.5 million homes in March, the highest since December 2024, according to figures released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. View the full article

State mortgage regulators are increasingly treating supervision as enforcement, imposing large fines even when companies fix issues quickly, writes the head of public policy at NewRez. View the full article

Check out the next set of names in the 28th edition of National Mortgage News' Top Producers survey, including on how they approach purchase business. View the full article

Brian Hale, CEO of Mortgage Advisory Partners, warns of overcapacity, rising rates and AI-driven disruption forcing consolidation across the lending industry. View the full article

CrossCountry increased its agreed-to offer for the real estate investment trust by 50 cents per share, as UWM Holdings made an unsolicited bid on April 20. View the full article

The former Wall Street player blamed its decline on rising interest rates, trouble at its lending subsidiary, and debt stemming from the Great Financial Crisis. View the full article

The Federal Open Market Committee's April meeting — likely Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's last — is unanimously expected to keep interest rates steady, but questions about energy, inflation and the upcoming transition in leadership still loom. View the full article

Jonathan Corr, the former CEO of Ellie Mae, is one of six new members of MeridianLink's board, added following its acquisition by Centerbridge Partners. View the full article

Newrez expects significant expense reductions from AI partnerships with HomeVision and Valon, as executives rule out mergers and a Rithm spinoff amid strong Q1 earnings. View the full article

More than half of the major metropolitan markets in the United States posted year-over-year price declines in February, according to a new report. View the full article

True Footage claims a startup founder signed up for its products using false MLS credentials and used large language models to copy its software. View the full article

A dv01 paper finds while no one single cause exists and elements like the lack of transportation infrastructure make a return to historic affordability unlikely. View the full article

Top mortgage originators ranked 175-101 share their client retention strategies, from face-to-face meetings to AI and CRM tools, as the industry eyes a 2026 purchase market shift. View the full article

Alongside a bill that gives homeowners a year of forbearance after state-declared emergencies, lawmakers will consider extending wildfire-related moratoriums. View the full article

United Wholesale Mortgage is one of multiple home lending partners Dan Sogorka and Mike Fawaz's new company plans to bring on board. View the full article

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor encouraged the real estate industry to reconsider advice received from DEI experts. View the full article

Real is acquiring Motto's parent Remax in a deal valued at $13.80 per share, as the new Real Remax Group will have "two distinct models, one platform." View the full article

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on Sunday that he no longer opposes Kevin Warsh's nomination to serve as chair of the Federal Reserve following the Justice Department's announced closure of its inquiry into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell. View the full article