Risk Management Gaps that Expose Mortgage Lenders
Mortgage lenders operate under intense regulatory scrutiny, cyber threats, and capital pressure, yet many still rely on fragmented governance and legacy systems. Recent enforcement actions, such as Bayview’s $26 million data‑breach settlement, highlight the financial and reputational costs of inadequate risk controls. Executives must implement disciplined, board‑level risk frameworks that integrate continuous monitoring, third‑party assessments, and predictive analytics. Aligning risk appetite with capital planning and embedding compliance into daily operations is essential to close these gaps.
Equity Prime Mortgage, Ex-Workers at Odds over Settlement
Equity Prime Mortgage (EPM) has asked a judge to enforce a $660,000 settlement it says was agreed with three former employees over unpaid overtime claims. The workers’ attorneys dispute the existence of any settlement and have moved to sanction EPM...
Basel Reproposal's Impact on Non-Bank Mortgage Lenders
The Federal Reserve’s Basel III reproposal softens capital requirements for mortgage‑backed assets, notably easing the Tier 1 cap on mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) while keeping a 250% risk weight. It introduces LTV‑based risk‑weight tiers, dropping to 25% for loans under 50% LTV,...
CrossCountry Adding Top 35 Lender Summit Funding
CrossCountry Mortgage announced the acquisition of privately held Summit Funding, a top‑35 retail lender operating in 48 states. The deal, terms undisclosed, broadens CrossCountry's footprint to all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. Executives highlighted the merger’s focus on scale,...
US Household Net Worth Climbs $2.2 Trillion to Fresh Record
U.S. household net worth surged to a record $184.1 trillion in Q4, up $2.2 trillion from the previous quarter. The jump was powered by a $1.6 trillion rise in equity holdings as the S&P 500 rallied on AI‑driven earnings optimism. At the same time,...
IMB Profits Drop Sharply Even as Volume Surges in Q4
Non‑bank mortgage lenders reported a sharp 44% decline in net production profit per loan in Q4 2025, falling to $674 from $1,201 a quarter earlier, even as origination volume rose to $643 million per company. The industry’s profit margin slipped to 17...
Home Insurance Prices Set to Keep Rising with Severe Weather
U.S. homeowners insurance premiums are set to rise for a fifth consecutive year in 2026, with the average annual cost projected to increase 4% to about $3,057. Since 2021, premiums have surged 46%, far outpacing inflation, as insurers absorb mounting...
How Trump Is Turning Fair Lending Law on Its Head
The Trump administration is dismantling core fair‑lending protections by targeting the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Housing Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and the Section 1071 small‑business data rule. An executive order eliminates the disparate‑impact theory, while the CFPB proposes to...
CFPB Cuts Dull Impact of Trump's Latest Order, MBA Exec Says
President Trump issued an executive order aimed at expanding home‑lending opportunities for community financial institutions with assets under $100 million. Mortgage Bankers Association President Bob Broeksmit praised the intent but warned that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s reduced staffing will slow...
Treasury Yields May Still Be Headed Higher
Treasury yields slipped briefly on Monday but technical analysis suggests the decline is temporary. 5‑year yields, which fell to their lowest since October 2024, are still below the high reached in January and remain in a large‑degree B‑wave correction that historically...
Home Equity Dips $78.8B as Appreciation Weakens
Home equity fell $78.8 billion in Q4 2025, a 0.5 % year‑over‑year decline, marking the second consecutive quarter of losses. The average homeowner lost $8,500 of equity, reducing total accumulated equity to about $295,000 per borrower. Slower price appreciation—annual gains of only...
Lennar Profit Drops 56% Amid Rates, Iran Uncertainty
Lennar reported a 56% drop in first‑quarter profit, earning $229 million versus $520 million a year earlier. Revenue from home sales fell 13% to $6.3 billion as average prices and unit deliveries both declined. The company cited persistent headwinds – mortgage rates above...
FIGRE Trust Issues $335.7 Million From Pool of HELOC
FIGRE Trust is launching the 2026‑HF3 securitization, selling $335.7 million of revolving home‑equity lines of credit (HELOC) in eight SOFR‑linked tranches. The A1A tranche holds $164.3 million and receives a 44.5% credit‑enhancement cushion, while lower tranches have progressively smaller enhancements. The underlying...
Better Lost $40M. Its CEO Has Never Been Bolder
Better Home & Finance reported a $40 million net loss for Q4, while revenue held steady at $44 million and loan volume surged 56% year‑over‑year to $1.5 billion. The AI‑native lender announced a partnership with a top‑5 non‑bank originator and reaffirmed its goal...
Churchill Vs. Ex-Manager: Poaching, Severance, ChatGPT
Churchill Mortgage has sued former vice‑president Jeffrey Miller, alleging he poached staff, disclosed confidential performance data, and used AI tools to extract trade secrets for rival Supreme Lending. Miller counters that Churchill owes him $92,805 in severance and claims the...
Former CFPB Counsel: Agency Is Doing More than You Think
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, under Acting Director Russell Vought, continues to issue regulatory guidance and defend select legacy rules despite a near‑absence of formal examinations or investigations. Former CFPB senior counsel Richard Horn notes that the agency’s Regulation Office...
Second Liens Appear on 16% of U.S. Mortgages
Approximately 16% of active first‑lien mortgages in the United States also carry second liens, representing $522 billion in outstanding balances, according to Experian’s Mortgage Loan Performance data. The new loan‑level visibility into these secondary claims gives agency MBS investors clearer insight...
Slow Home Sales Are Creating Accidental Landlords
Zillow data shows accidental landlords now represent 2.3% of listed rentals, the highest in its six‑year record aside from a 2.4% peak in November 2022. A surplus of sellers—about 44% more than buyers—combined with modestly lower mortgage rates is prompting...
Radian Shuts Mortgage Conduit Instead of Selling
Radian Group announced it will wind down its mortgage conduit business rather than pursue a sale, halting new originations in early April. The non‑agency conduit, launched in July 2022, generated $2.2 billion in securitizations but posted a $16.4 million adjusted pre‑tax loss...
Mortgage Rates Climb to 6.19% in Biggest Gain Since September
U.S. 30‑year mortgage rates jumped 10 basis points to 6.19% in the week ending March 6, marking the steepest rise since September. The increase mirrors a sharp climb in the 10‑year Treasury yield, spurred by geopolitical tension after Iran’s conflict disrupted...
Credit Diverges: Jumbo Rises, FHA Slips
Government loan performance issues have tightened underwriting, while jumbo credit availability rose 2.9% in the past month, driven by non‑QM loan growth. In contrast, FHA‑backed loan availability slipped 0.8% as delinquencies topped 11%. The Mortgage Credit Availability Index edged up...
UWM Boosts 2026 Revenue Outlook Ahead of Two Harbors Vote
UWM Holdings raised its 2026 revenue outlook, projecting first‑quarter earnings of $800 million to $900 million and full‑year revenue between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion, up from its prior Q4 guidance. The company credited recent AI investments for boosting team efficiency and said it...
Newrez, Pennymac, Rate Roll Out Fresh Offerings
Newrez introduced TitlePass, a title‑insurance waiver for qualified rate‑and‑term refinances in 18 states, promising up to $2,200 savings for borrowers. Pennymac’s third‑party origination arm launched a non‑QM menu featuring debt‑service‑coverage‑ratio, bank‑statement, and asset‑qualifier loans aimed at entrepreneurs and retirees. Rate’s...
Loandepot Adds Wholesale Production 3 Years After Exit
Loandepot announced its return to the wholesale mortgage origination channel, a move it had abandoned in August 2022 after a $224 million Q2 loss. CEO Anthony Hsieh, now acting CEO, says the comeback leverages the joint‑venture shared‑services platform to drive profitable...
How Kalshi, Polymarket Bets on Mortgage Rates Are Being Watched by Lenders
Mortgage‑rate prediction markets have launched on Kalshi and Polymarket, letting traders wager on the 30‑year fixed‑rate mortgage’s path in 2024. Kalshi has generated over $16,000 in volume since its January debut, while Polymarket’s activity remains under $1,000. The markets track...
VA Partial Claim Draft Arrives with Detail Sought on Limits
The Department of Veterans Affairs released a draft policy for a new VA partial‑claim program, allowing eligible borrowers to receive a second, interest‑free lien covering up to 25% of the unpaid principal balance. The assistance is designed to curb delinquency...
Planet Financial Grows 58% in Originations, 21% Servicing
Planet Financial Group reported a 58% jump in originations to $28.6 billion and a 21% increase in its servicing portfolio to $144.8 billion for 2025, achieved organically despite recent acquisitions. The growth was driven by strong retail retention (52% rise to $2.5 billion)...
Housing Inventory Recovery Slows for Ninth Straight Month
Housing inventory rose 7.9% year‑over‑year in February, reaching over 914,000 homes, but month‑over‑month growth stalled at 0.2%, marking the ninth consecutive month of flattening gains. Supply increases were led by the South and West and skewed toward properties priced below...
Congress Risks Shutting Out Small Housing Investors
Congress is advancing the ROAD to Housing Act, which would bar any entity that owns or manages more than 350 single‑family homes from purchasing additional properties. While aimed at curbing private‑equity concentration, the bill’s broad definition also captures Regulation A real‑estate...
MISMO Releases VA, FHA Form Standards for Industry Use
The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) has elevated the data mapping for VA Form 26‑1820 and the HUD FHA Addendum to candidate recommendation status, making standardized XML datasets available for industry use. The VA mapping translates the loan disbursement report...
Taxes, Insurance Eat 21% of Mortgage Payments
A new Neighbors Bank analysis finds property taxes and homeowners insurance now consume an average of 21% of U.S. mortgage payments, with some markets seeing the costs exceed one‑third of the monthly bill. The study, based on 450 metros and...
Rent Increases Outpace Home-Price Growth: Attom
Rent growth outpaced median home‑price appreciation in 55% of U.S. counties between 2025 and 2026, narrowing the rent‑vs‑buy affordability gap. Despite higher rents, rental yields fell in 54.8% of counties as record‑high home prices raised acquisition costs. Midwest markets such...
Startup Lender Alleges Rival Sabotaged Its Business
Lendwise Mortgage, a newly launched California lender, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing rival Priority Financial Network (PFN) and its CEO Marc Shenkman of submitting false fraud reports to shared partners. The alleged false reports claimed Lendwise...
Lenders Offer Pricing Promos in Anticipation of a Hot Market
Mortgage lenders are rolling out new pricing promotions as rates hover near 6% and react to recent geopolitical volatility. United Wholesale Mortgage introduced a 75‑basis‑point refinance boost and a $600 appraisal credit for purchases, extending the offer to Pro Elite...
Rate Moves Into Auto Lending via App
Retail mortgage lender Rate is adding auto loans to its mobile app through a partnership with Westlake Financial, enabling customers to apply for vehicle financing directly within the platform. The move builds on the Rate app’s 2023 launch, which already...
Which Markets Had the Highest Demand for Renovation Loans?
Renovation loan demand is strongest per capita in New England and Mountain states, with Rhode Island topping the nation at six applications per 1,000 residents. While total home‑improvement loan applications fell 3 % year‑over‑year, transaction volume held steady at $144 billion, driven...
HECM Lenders See Subdued Numbers to Start the Year
Government‑backed Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements dropped 20.7% from January to February, reaching 1,821 transactions, and are down 26.6% year‑over‑year. The slowdown coincides with the rise of proprietary reverse‑mortgage products that offer higher limits and no mortgage‑insurance requirement, drawing...
Middle East Conflict Stokes Inflation, Risks Higher Rates
The U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has triggered the largest oil price jump in four years as the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, sending crude markets into turmoil. Inflation concerns now dominate Treasury trading, pushing the 10‑year yield above 4% and raising mortgage‑rate...
Lenders Rethink Outreach as Trigger Leads Face Limits
Mortgage originators are split on the value of trigger leads as the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act takes effect on March 5, forcing a shift to permission‑based marketing. Proponents argue trigger leads provide quick consumer access, but critics cite reliability issues and...
Bad Breakup at Direct Mortgage Spills Into Court
Direct Mortgage is being sued by former employees Brooks Kelly and Jason Harris for $750,000 in unpaid compensation, a disputed $200,000 personal loan, and alleged software failures that created compliance risks. The plaintiffs claim the company’s loan‑origination system produced inaccurate...
The Best Mortgage Companies to Work For in 2026
National Mortgage News and Best Companies Group released their 2026 Best Mortgage Companies to Work For list, featuring 40 lenders—up from 36 in 2025 and 33 in 2024. The ranking blends employee survey results (75% weight) with employer‑provided data (25%)...
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac's Total Portfolio at Multiyear High
Government‑sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pushed their combined retained portfolio to a multiyear high of $278.45 billion in January, up from $271.69 billion the month before. Fannie’s retained assets rose to $141.64 billion, while Freddie’s mortgage‑backed securities holdings increased to $49.46 billion despite...
What Lenders Should Consider when Evaluating Small Landlords
Small landlords are an expanding segment of the rental market, but their limited scale creates underwriting challenges for lenders. To gauge creditworthiness, lenders must scrutinize the borrower’s financial stability, including cash flow, tax returns, and debt ratios. Portfolio performance—occupancy rates,...
Brian Montgomery Joins Newday Advisory Board as Vice Chair
Former Federal Housing Commissioner Brian Montgomery has been appointed vice chair of Newday USA’s advisory board. Montgomery, the only person to lead the FHA twice and a former HUD deputy secretary, brings extensive federal housing finance experience. Newday, a VA‑focused...
Fairway Moves Into Home Insurance at Origination
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. announced a partnership with The Baldwin Group to launch Fairway Home Insurance Agency, offering homeowners insurance at loan origination. The collaboration embeds Baldwin’s proprietary technology into Fairway’s workflow, allowing real‑time policy quotes during the mortgage application....
Foreclosure Starts Surge to Early 2020 Levels
The national delinquency rate slipped to 3.65% in January, yet foreclosure starts surged to 42,000, matching early‑2020 levels. Late‑stage delinquencies rose 104,000 year‑over‑year, pushing the count of borrowers 90+ days delinquent to a July 2022 high. While mortgage rates fell, pre‑payment...
LoanCare Faces Revived Class Action on Prepayments
A three‑judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district‑court summary judgment that had favored Loancare, reviving a class‑action suit alleging the mortgage servicer mishandled borrower prepayments. The plaintiffs claim Loancare delayed applying prepayments to principal,...
Non-QM Specialist Lendermac Acquires Utah's Direct Mortgage
Lendermac, a specialist in non‑qualified mortgages, announced an agreement to acquire Utah‑based Direct Mortgage Corp. The deal brings Direct’s 2024 loan volume of roughly $209 million, along with its conventional and government loan capabilities and agency approvals from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac...
MI Volumes Jump 12%, Competitive Pressure Builds
Private mortgage insurers collectively wrote 12% more new insurance in 2025, driven by a sharp rate‑cut‑induced surge in fourth‑quarter originations. While MGIC remained the top writer for the sixth straight quarter, the sector’s share continues to slip to the FHA...
Onity Group Adds a Former Truist Executive to C-Suite
Onity Group announced the appointment of Aulene Wessel, a former executive vice president at Truist, as its new chief accounting officer. Wessel replaces Francois Grunenwald, who will exit after a transition period. Her résumé includes senior roles at SoFi, Silicon...
