General World News

Foundation Mortgage welcomes Samuel Bjelac to lead TPO sales

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Sam Bjelac “Sam’s deep knowledge of the TPO and Non-QM sectors, paired with his passion for broker partnership, makes him an invaluable addition to our leadership team,” Foundation Mortgage on Wednesday announced the hiring of Samuel Bjelac as senior vice president of national sales for third-party originations (TPO). Bjelac, who brings more than two decades […]

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Point, Blue Owl funds close record $390M HEI securitization

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Point and funds managed by Blue Owl Capital have issued a $390 million securitization of home equity investment (HEI) assets, the companies announced on Wednesday.  The transaction, which closed on Oct. 28, is the third rated securitization so far this year and the sixth overall since 2015 for Point, a California-based home equity investment platform. […]

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Mortgage applications fall 1.9% in late October

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Mortgage applications decreased 1.9% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending October 31, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index decreased 3% compared with the previous week. The refinance index decreased 3% from the previous week and was 151% higher than […]

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Rethinking climate readiness: How ICE’s climate data helps close risk gaps and reduce lender blind spots

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​Extreme weather events are now more than just an occasional disruption; they are redefining the landscape of housing finance. And, the frequency and intensity in which these events occur, combined with rising insurance and utility costs, fluctuating property values, and shifting housing rates, provide challenges for lenders looking to effectively streamline operations, mitigate risk, and […]

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NEXA Lending promotes Rana Mortensen to chief administrative officer

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NEXA Lending announced another change to its C-suite on Tuesday, promoting Rana Mortensen to chief administrative officer. In her new role, Mortensen will oversee the company’s administrative operations across multiple departments — including facilities, human resources, people operations, corporate events and internal communications — while ensuring the execution of NEXA’s strategic vision. NEXA CEO Mike […]

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Knock debuts new buy-before-you-sell bridge loan

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Knock, a real estate technology company that helps homeowners buy before they sell, is launching a new loan product. On Tuesday, the company announced the debut of Knock Bridge Loan Plus.  The new offering provides the same benefits as the company’s original bridge loan product. This includes its guaranteed backup offer program and the same […]

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Stockton Mortgage sues Novus, ex-employees over alleged client poaching

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Stockton Mortgage Corporation is suing Ixonia Bancshares (dba Novus Home Mortgage), along with 18 former employees – including manager Logan Hoffman and loan officers – alleging they “defected en masse” and breached their contractual obligations of non-solicitation and confidentiality. The lawsuit was filed on Oct. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District […]

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Balancing human and AI: A framework for the future of mortgage

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In today’s mortgage landscape, success depends not on choosing between automation and people, but on balancing both to create a stronger, more adaptable organization.  As the industry undergoes seismic shifts in technology and customer expectations, companies that master this balance will lead the future. In a mortgage industry shaped by volatility, compressed margins, and shifting […]

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NewDay USA unveils VA loan option that removes closing costs

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NewDay USA, a national mortgage lender that serves veterans, on Monday announced a new loan offering designed to help veterans and service members buy homes by addressing one of the biggest financial barriers — closing costs. The product, NewDay Home, allows qualifying borrowers with steady employment, strong credit and sufficient income to secure a fully […]

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Tech Pulse: AI advances, big earnings and policy shifts

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Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology news, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: Zillow’s Follow Up Boss privacy policy changes spark industry debate Zillow‘s updated privacy policy for Follow Up Boss has sparked debate among real estate agents. The policy introduces […]

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Newrez wholesale leader Tony Kottenbrock talks about growing non-QM

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Non-QM production at multi-channel mortgage lender Newrez has surged 40% in recent months, with company leaders pointing to enhanced guidelines and growing demand for second mortgages as key drivers of record-breaking wholesale production. Coming off of the company’s Q3 2025 earnings report on Thursday, Tony Kottenbrock, Newrez‘s head of wholesale, sat down with HousingWire to […]

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Ocrolus adds automated conditioning to mortgage tools

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Ocrolus, an AI-powered data and analytics platform for credit decisioning, recently announced it’s adding automated conditioning to its suite of products. The new solution allows mortgage lenders to move faster, increase loan quality and reduce compliance risk. The new capabilities, announced at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Annual Convention and Expo in Las Vegas in mid-October, […]

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Carrington to acquire Reliance First Capital

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Carrington Holding Co. on Friday announced that it has agreed to acquire Reliance First Capital from Tiptree Inc., a holding company that combines insurance operations with investment management expertise. “Together with our existing retail recapture, wholesale and correspondent businesses, our agreement to acquire Reliance First Capital looks to add a direct-to-consumer channel, making our mortgage platform […]

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Intercontinental Exchange posts record Q3 earnings

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Intercontinental Exchange Inc. reported higher-than-expected earnings Thursday as strength in its mortgage technology and data businesses helped deliver the company’s best third-quarter financial performance on record. The operator of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and parent of ICE Mortgage Technology said it earned $816 million, or $1.42 per diluted share, in the quarter ended […]

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Real estate industry chiefs say housing fix starts with mortgage financing reform

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A completely new status quo for mortgage financing — especially one more favorable toward first-time homebuyers — was cited by real estate leaders as a vital step in improving housing affordability.  For NextHome co-CEO Keith Robinson, affordability can’t be solved without addressing the mortgage system itself — one he says hasn’t fundamentally changed since the […]

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VRM executive Cheryl Travis-Johnson has died

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Dr. Cheryl Travis-Johnson, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of VRM Mortgage Services, died last week, according to the company. Travis-Johnson, an industry veteran with over 30 years of service, joined VRM in 2008 and helped to position the company as a “trusted and innovative partner” in delivering mortgage services. VRM’s press release […]

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Chris Planto returns to Rate as VP of mortgage lending

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Top-producing mortgage originator Chris Planto has rejoined Rate as vice president of mortgage lending in the Houston market. Planto returns to Rate from CrossCountry Mortgage, where he most recently served as a senior loan officer. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome back Chris Planto to our Rate family,” said Todd Heaton, an executive vice president […]

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Former VA lending executive John Bell III dies

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John Bell III, the deputy executive director for the Office of Mission Support at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has died, according to posts on LinkedIn. Tim Rood, founder and CEO of Impact Capitol, shared the news in a post on Wednesday evening. “I wanted to make sure that folks knew that John Bell III, […]

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New allegations emerge against UWM in Sweeney-AIME lawsuit

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The legal battle between Katie Sweeney and the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) has escalated, with new allegations emerging against United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM). In a motion filed Oct. 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Sweeney sought permission to amend her complaint to add UWM, the title sponsor […]

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Inside Consolidated Analytics’ hybrid AI model for the future of mortgage operations

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming mortgage operations, driving new levels of efficiency, compliance, and innovation, but the key lies in pairing technology with human expertise. In this conversation, Arvin Wijay, CEO of Consolidated Analytics, and Neil Sahota, the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, discuss how their organizations are integrating AI across the loan life cycle to […]

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Redefining lending success: Fintech–nonprofit partnerships and the future of mortgage access

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In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, mortgage lenders and servicers are facing intense pressure to expand access to credit while maintaining sustainable risk practices. A growing strategy to meet this challenge is the rise of fintech–nonprofit partnerships. These collaborations not only open new doors for underserved borrowers but also provide lenders with scalable tools to […]

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CFPB drops nonbank registry rule, citing cost burden

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Wednesday issued a final rule to immediately rescind the nonbank registry rule and a proposal to create a registry of nonbank contract terms and conditions. The decision was applauded by mortgage trade groups.  The nonbank registry rule was published in the Federal Register in July 2024 and set […]

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David Benson is back at Fannie Mae

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Nearly two years after stepping down and retiring from Fannie Mae, past president David Benson has rejoined the government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) as senior adviser. Benson previously served a 21-year tenure at Fannie Mae in a wide range of positions, including interim CEO, chief financial officer, executive vice president of capital markets and treasurer. Federal Housing […]

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Lower rates prompt refis and dismissal of ARMs

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Mortgage applications increased 7.1% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending October 24, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 7% compared with the previous week. The refinance index increased 9% from the previous week and was 111% higher than […]

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Optimal Blue comes out swinging on price-fixing lawsuit

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Optimal Blue has responded to a class action lawsuit filed against it and 26 mortgage lenders, calling the claims “baseless” and “frivolous” and vowing to fight the lawsuit “all the way through.” “Optimal Blue is aware of the complaint filed against it, Black Knight, Inc., and many of the largest mortgage lenders, alleging a purported […]