Contracts, Invoices & Legal

The federal government should step in to prevent an emerging patchwork of state regulations from stifling the benefits of applying the tools of generative artificial intelligence to the mortgage market. View the full article

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Jeff Schmid said the US central bank should hold rates at a "somewhat restrictive" level, as he expressed continued concerns over inflation that remains too high. View the full article

Contract closings decreased 8.4%, the biggest drop since February 2022, to a 3.91 million annualized pace in January, according to National Association of Realtors data released Thursday. View the full article

Mortgage delinquencies increased across loan types, and while 30-day late payments showed overall improvement, later-stage distress worsened. View the full article

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will add loan-level buydown data to MBS this spring, giving investors clearer insight into prepayment risk tied to temporary rate incentives. View the full article

Treasuries rallied and broke key levels, but stubborn 5-year resistance still caps momentum and rate-cut expectations remain unchanged, the CEO of IF Securities writes. View the full article

Toll Brothers Inc. fell short of analysts' estimates for quarterly orders, signaling that fewer people are signing contracts to build homes as high prices and economic uncertainty hold some buyers back. View the full article

Banks and credit unions are pairing AI-driven efficiency with stable staffing and cross-training to scale mortgage production as originations rebound and technology expands capacity. View the full article

Loans will continue to be originated and closed in the name of Firstrust Bank but the MortgageCountry will oversee lending end-to-end and provide its leadership. View the full article

Some market sectors face growing challenges related to a K-shaped economy as servicers play an increasingly important role in keeping customers. View the full article

While the Freddie Mac survey recorded a weekly decline, the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield had moved back up by 6 basis points around midday on Thursday. View the full article

Some mortgage companies are taking advantage of a loan-interest deduction that was designed to benefit community banks, a Washington State legislator alleged. View the full article

Bond yields tested key resistance as markets largely shrugged at the data, according to the Head of Correspondent Business Development at AD Mortgage. View the full article

Not all borrower scenarios are equal. When it comes to evaluating the risk of small landlords, lenders need to focus on a few specific factors. View the full article

Markets were bracing for the chaos of a regional war; banks may be the target of sophisticated cyberattacks, experts warn. View the full article

CEO Anthony Hsieh said refinances should provide notable benefit to its direct lending unit a day after LoanDepot announced a return to the wholesale channel. View the full article

Housing starts increased 7.2% to an annual pace of 1.49 million homes in January, according to government figures out Thursday. View the full article

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's single-family updates include some roof coverage options somewhat similar to what's used in one of their other divisions. View the full article

The Ohio-based lender is accusing Atlantic Coast Mortgage of stealing customers, while a Chicago bank is accusing Lower of raiding a Maryland branch. View the full article

Housing economists at ICE Experience 2026 predict mortgage growth but also say the home finance industry has yet to fully adapt to the disruption of this decade. View the full article

The wholesale lender says it agreed to a $660,000 deal last summer for employees seeking overtime pay, an agreement the plaintiffs say never existed. View the full article

Former Stockton originators are suing their ex-bosses for violating their privacy, in searching their personal accounts to show they were diverting borrowers. View the full article

The long-defunct Nationwide Biweekly Administration, accused in 2015 of deceptive marketing, has been ordered to pay a $7.93 million civil money penalty. View the full article

New questions about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's guarantee by experts who saw conservatorship start points to tensions in a stalled secondary offering. View the full article

Employers who use Nayya's agentic AI platform can provide Foyer, a dedicated 401(k) for homeownership, as a benefit that helps its employees buy a home. View the full article