Hoby Hanna, the CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services and Hanna Holdings, joined the RealTrending podcast this week to discuss his company’s approach to growth, technology and consumer offerings. In an interview with host Tracey Velt, Hanna breaks down a selective approach to mergers and acquisitions while emphasizing cultural compatibility over rapid expansion. He […]
Hoby Hanna talks M&A strategy, market share goals Read More »
Technology is accelerating change across the financial services industry, and United Wholesale Mortgage is at the forefront of mortgage innovation. With the launch of two groundbreaking platforms— the Loan Estimate Optimizer (LEO) and Mia, an AI-powered assistant for loan officers, UWM is setting a new benchmark for how technology and especially AI can transform the
Inside UWM’s tech evolution: How LEO and Mia are shaping the future of mortgage lending Read More »
This metric supports the originators who create a high number of loans but because of factors like local home prices or products offered, have lower total dollar volumes. For example, Ashley McKenzie, a senior mortgage loan officer at Highlands Residential Mortgage in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, ranked fourth by number of loans originated, although she was
2025’s Top Producers by loan count Read More »
Class Valuation has launched a new appraisal review product designed to bring greater clarity and oversight to residential valuations. The new tool, Class Valuation Analysis (CVA), offers licensed appraiser-led reviews of existing appraisal reports by incorporating automated valuation model (AVM) technology. “In today’s market, uncertainty is expensive, and lenders can’t afford to second-guess their valuation
Class Valuation unveils appraisal review tool Read More »
Birmingham, Michigan-based brokerage @properties REMI Christie’s International Real Estate is opening its 10th office in the state in July by expanding into the lakeside resort town of Traverse City. The brokerage was launched in 2021 by Detroit-area natives Eric Walstrom and Alex Irrer, and it has grown from an initial operation of two offices. Leading
Christie’s International Real Estate affiliate expands in Michigan Read More »
Rachel Gustafson serves as a certified financial planner with the Financial Investment Team, a firm based in Portland, Oregon. Over the course of a 12-year career in the field, she has a specialty for helping her clients figure out the best and most efficient ways to retire. When reverse mortgages first showed up on her
A financial planner shares her journey to understanding reverse mortgages Read More »
Few events in recent real estate history have rattled the industry more than the antitrust lawsuits filed against major brokerages and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), accusing them of artificially inflating agent commission rates. NAR settled the Sitzer-Burnett case for $418 million and agreed to rules that the plaintiffs believed would help bring down
Are settlement rules pushing down agent commissions? New survey says the opposite Read More »
Real estate software provider Lone Wolf Technologies is launching an integration with Zillow-owned customer relationship management system Follow Up Boss as it aims to connect transaction, marketing and accounting tools in one system. Follow Up Boss will be linked with Lone Wolf’s Foundation platform, which includes products such as Boost for digital advertising, Cloud CMA
Lone Wolf, Follow Up Boss integrate platforms Read More »
Equity release — a class of financial products that involve unlocking home equity and converting it into cash flow — currently has global annual volume of roughly $17 billion. This class includes reverse mortgage products in the U.S., the United Kingdom and elsewhere, but a European equity release authority projects that volume will more than
Global equity release market projected to top $56B by 2035 Read More »
The Federal Reserve held benchmark rates steady in the range of 4.25% to 4.5% following its two-day meeting on Wednesday, a decision with implications for the mortgage industry. The move, expected by virtually all monetary policy watchers, underscores the challenge facing the Federal Reserve — deciding when it’s appropriate to cut rates. It’s a delicate
Fed holds rates steady amid inflation concerns, resilient job market Read More »