Scaling from Freelancer to Business Owner

A National Mortgage News/Snapdocs survey of 100 lenders found 90% use some form of what could be considered a digital closing, up from 74% two-years ago. View the full article

The state has largely solved for the industry's biggest concerns but the broader secondary mortgage market could still have some additional responsibilities. View the full article

In its latest financial stability report, the Federal Reserve found that asset prices continue to exceed underlying fundamentals and leverage levels remain high, especially by hedge funds. View the full article

The lender's parent also said it is actively in preparation to move forward on plans to unlock equity value in 2025, with a Newrez spinoff among its options. View the full article

Doug Duncan may be retired from Fannie Mae, but not from the housing market—his new firm is ramping up with writing, speaking, and advisory work. View the full article

The way mortgage firms address distressed military borrowers will become less regimented as the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase program gets phased out. View the full article

The Long Island-based regional bank's net loss narrowed from the first quarter of 2024, while CEO Joseph Otting said the company continues to make progress in its turnaround journey. View the full article

The trend is not the norm but there are growing opportunities to buy for less in some areas many people gravitate to, real-estate brokerage Redfin found. View the full article

While the 30-year rate landed near its level of a week ago, it ended up there only after political developments led to up-and-down swings in Treasurys. View the full article

It is quite likely March's drop in the Purchase Application Payment Index will be transitory as mortgage rates have increased since the start of April. View the full article

Sales of previously owned US homes fell in March by the most since 2022 as buyers remained constrained by high mortgage rates and prices. View the full article

Small business owners will be given the option to tap into anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 in financing. View the full article

Whether current conditions favor buyers or sellers is up for debate, as economic uncertainty begins to influence consumer behavior, The Real Brokerage said. View the full article

The top five servicers had a combined unpaid principal balance of more than $23 billion at the end of December 2024. View the full article

Two industry organizations are giving Congress and FHFA reasons to make Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's pricing more advantageous rather than less attractive. View the full article

Mortgage delinquency rates improved during the month, but the share of borrowers late 90 days or more grew as FHA credit quality deteriorated. View the full article

Homebuilding industry CEOs said tariff impacts would likely be felt in the back half of the year, but affordability concerns are applying pressure now. View the full article

Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, announced he will not seek reelection in 2026, concluding more than four decades in Congress. The Illinois lawmaker leaves behind a notable imprint on U.S. financial policy, particularly regarding swipe fees. View the full article

Federal Reserve Gov. Adriana Kugler said tighter monetary policy has proved to be less impactful on nonbank lenders during the post-pandemic era. View the full article

Purchases of new single-family homes increased 7.4% in March to an annualized rate of 724,000, mostly driven by a surge in the South, according to government data released Wednesday. View the full article

The industry's largest servicer, which agreed at the end of the quarter to be acquired by Rocket, had a $82 million write-down due to shifting interest rates. View the full article

The US bond market is starting to get some relief, with long-maturity yields falling on Wednesday after The President indicated a willingness to strike a trade deal with China. View the full article

US mortgage rates rose again last week, reaching the highest level since mid-February and further depressing the appetite to buy homes or refinance loans. View the full article