HW+ provides career-making insights and analysis for those in Mortgage, Real Estate and FinTech. This long-form digital content provides members with news nowhere else and digs deeper into the “why” behind the daily news cycle. To join the HW+ community, click here.
Inflation data still pointing toward rate cuts in 2024
Even though inflation came in hotter than expected on Thursday, we are still talking about rate cuts in 2024!
Guild asks judge to confirm $10.7M award in poaching dispute against ex-employees
Award resulted from an arbitration dispute against three ex-Guild employees accused of poaching when they transitioned to CrossCountry.
Exclusive: CrossCountry Mortgage CEO Ron Leonhardt talks AmCap acquisition, future targets
Ron Leonhardt, founder and CEO of CrossCountry Mortgage, explains how the deal for Texas-based Amcap came together, and what future acquisitions may look like.
How Rocket Pro TPO plans to court more brokers in 2024
Rocket Pro TPO, the wholesale arm of Rocket Mortgage, hopes to woo brokers with a slew of product enhancements and services.
Home-equity lending blossomed in 2023
Home-equity lending overall found its wings in 2023 as a number of independent mortgage banks ramped up product lines over the course of the year — despite a bump in the road in the third quarter when mortgage rates surged past 7%.
Fewer homes will take a price cut in spring 2024
With lower mortgage rates fueling demand, fewer homes will have to take a price cut before they’re sold this spring.
Housing starts flexes single-family muscle
Housing starts are being boosted by single-family growth as the apartment boom has ended, so as long as new home sales can grow, this data line will be stable.
The Federal Reserve delivers lower rates for Christmas
The 10-year yield and mortgage rates fell after the Fed meeting, which gave us mortgage rates under 7% last week.
Copycat commission lawsuits hit the West Coast
Home seller plaintiff in California is accusing the real estate industry of colluding to artificially inflate agent commissions. And a prominent MLS is a defendant.
Colorado Springs offers a window into Stewart’s title strategy
On its first quarter earnings call on Thursday, CEO Fred Eppinger highlighted the firm’s growth in Colorado as a prime example of how expanding in strategic markets has helped the company juice revenue and improve performance, even in a choppy market.
How can we bridge the talent gap in title and escrow?
If you look around the title insurance industry, there’s a decade gap in the ages of the industry’s talent pool. Patrick Stone, founder and executive chairman of the Williston Financial Group, shares how the industry needs to address this.
ALTA on new Fannie policy: title insurance “will always be essential”
ALTA issues statement on Fannie Mae’s policy change allowing attorney opinion letters in lieu of title insurance.
The impact of UWM’s appraisal shakeup
UWM vowed to shake up the appraisal by creating its own AMC. We talked to a dozen appraisers to find out how the program is going, and what impact it’s made on the industry.
HW+ Member Spotlight: John Brenan
This week’s HW+ member spotlight features John Brenan, vice president of Valuation Policy and chief appraiser at Clear Capital, as he touches on the biggest trends he is watching in the appraisal space.
CFPB is the latest agency to criticize the Appraisal Foundation
A collection of federal agencies, including the CFPB, HUD and the FHFA, took the Appraisal Foundation to task for deficient anti-bias guidance.
