Scaling from Freelancer to Business Owner

First Federal Bank stretched its retail mortgage operations into Louisiana and Mississippi, following its expansion into the Midwest and Arizona in 2023. View the full article

Wall Street veteran Frank Bisignano pledged at a Senate Finance Committee hearing that he doesn't plan to privatize Social Security. View the full article

While Fitch and Kroll have differing views on mortgage rates next year, both are looking for mortgage delinquencies to rise in their rated portfolios. View the full article

For 2026, the mortgage industry operating environment will improve, while nonbank financial metrics should be within Fitch's rating criteria sensitivities. View the full article

Reality TV contributed to heightened demand for fixer-uppers and DIY projects, but today's economics are altering consumers' home buying considerations. View the full article

The agreement, if approved by a federal judge, would end litigation over two distinct cybersecurity incidents in 2021 which affected over 2 million customers. View the full article

Joseph Otting, who is leading Flagstar's turnaround, said potential buyers may be interested in acquiring the regional bank once it gets past certain challenges. View the full article

In a case mentioned alongside one decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, by 2-1, the judges said they could not overturn a past decision on California's escrow law. View the full article

The Long Island-based company, which is in the middle of a makeover, saw its stock price rise sharply after reporting a net loss that was less than what analysts expected. View the full article

The Long Island-based bank hasn't been profitable in eight quarters, but executives maintain that it's on the right path, citing more loan book diversity, lower expenses and an improved margin. 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

Flagstar shareholders approved a plan to merge its holding company into the bank; Huntington tapped a new chief auditor, along with two new business leaders; First Foundation hired a new chief credit officer; and more in this week's banking news roundup. View the full article

Congressmen introduced the Retroactive Renewal and Reauthorization Act to the House Monday, with hopes to backdate the reauthorization of the insurance program. View the full article

The St. Petersburg, Florida-based company plans to market 18.4 million shares for $18 to $20 each, according to its Securities and Exchange Commission filing. View the full article

The Sunshine State deal comes following a banner year for credit union-bank combinations, despite pushback from community banking advocates. View the full article

Any rollback in property taxes would require enough signatures to place a question on the ballot and pass with at least 60% of support from Florida voters. View the full article

Finance of America is buying Onity's MSRs and loan pipeline in this niche as PHH retains its role as a subservicer and remains involved in buyout securitization. View the full article

During its meeting last month, some members of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy committee expressed concern about persistent supply-chain disruptions while others were confident price growth would be constrained. View the full article

Total mortgage origination volume is forecasted to barely eclipse $2 trillion by the end of the year for the first time since 2022, iEmergent said. View the full article

VA- and FHA-backed mortgages helped drive the increase in property volume, but sales did not maintain the same pace, according to Auction.com. View the full article

Completed foreclosure sales reach their highest level since the second quarter of 2023, with a 20% quarter-to-quarter increase, Auction.com said. View the full article

There still is potential for the Supreme Court to review nuances of its landmark Tyler v. Hennepin County decision as other lawsuits raise questions about it. View the full article

Foreclosure filings increased 7% in January from December, which could be a housing market starting to experience trouble, or a post-holiday return to normal. View the full article

Foreclosure filings were reported on more than 360,000 properties in the United States last year, up 14% from 2025 and 3% from 2023, according to Attom. View the full article

The latest reports from ICE Mortgage Technology and VantageScore appear to be in line with hints at growing borrower pressure officials are eyeing in policy. View the full article