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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%.
Sitzer/Burnett filing deadline results in a squall of post-trial motions
Keller Williams and HomeServices of America beat the buzzer with multiple post-trial motions in the Sitzer commission suit filed Monday.
G-Rate sues NAF over poaching, alleges violation of LO comp rule
G-Rate alleges NAF has wooed at least 30 employees using illegal loan officer compensation practices, such as manipulating lead sources.
Mortgage rates sit still in the first week of 2024
In the first week of 2024, mortgage rates continued to stick around the mid 6% mark.
RealFi lays off employees without paying salaries, severance: sources
Nonbank mortgage lender RealFi laid off employees in December and did not issue their last paychecks, sources told HousingWire.
Why home prices haven’t crashed even with high mortgage rates
Not only did home prices not crash this year, they got back to all-time highs and the number of homes taking price cuts is less than 2022.
The Fed was wrong about jobs and inflation
The Fed has much to answer for after their massive rate hikes and quantitative tightening policy, which disproportionally affected housing.
Appeals court hears arguments on reopening the DOJ’s probe into NAR
The three-judge appellate court panel seemed amenable to allowing the DOJ to reopen its investigation into NAR.
HousingWire Magazine: ‘Title and Escrow’ Issue
The April issue of HousingWire magazine highlights just how much the housing and real estate industries have grown and changed — and changed for the better as innovation and technology drive the space forward. This issue also includes a special Q&A with Patti Cook as she reflects on her 45 years in the finance space.
Proptech bettor First American looks toward mortgage tech and CRE
Paul Hurst talks about why First American is interested in investing in mortgage tech and commercial real estate, the “Amazonification” of real estate and “instant title decisioning” for purchase deals.
“It’s ridiculous”: Real estate industry opposes newly proposed cash-deal reporting rules
The NAR and ALTA say newly-proposed Treasury Department rules on reporting cash deals are too burdensome for real estate agents and title companies.
Like it or not, desktop appraisals are here to stay
In January, Fannie Mae said it would start accepting desktop appraisals, where an appraiser need not perform a walk-through, for some agency-backed loans after March 19.
The appraisal industry’s governance problem
A report, commissioned by the Appraisal Subcommittee and led by the National Fair Housing Alliance, found that the appraisal industry, in sharp contrast to other sectors in housing finance, has been allowed to police itself.
“I don’t want to say we’re archaic”: Appraisal Institute president vows reform
Appraisal Institute president Jody Bishop spoke to HousingWire about what he would like to change about the profession, while still advocating for its members.
