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Mortgage

Redwood launches Aspire securitization shelf with $391M non-QM deal

HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, Non-QM, Origination, Redwood Trust, Secondary market, Securitization /

Redwood Trust closed a $391 million securitization backed by nonqualified mortgages (non-QMs), marking the inaugural deal from its Aspire platform that was expanded in early 2025, the company announced Friday. The transaction (SPIRE 2026-1) establishes Redwood’s third securitization shelf, alongside Sequoia for nonagency mortgages and CoreVest for business-purpose lending. Aspire’s first securitization includes 752 loans […]

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Angel Oak’s Tom Hutchens on new growth path for non-QMs as rates ease

Angel Oak, HELOC, HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, Non-QM, Origination, Real Estate Investing /

When mortgage rates stayed higher for longer over the past few years, originators increasingly turned their attention to nonqualified mortgages (non-QMs). But that resurgence may not lose momentum even if rates decline in 2026. “We traditionally have seen nonagency volumes represent about 10% of the mortgage business. If you figure it’s $2 trillion a year

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Job market softens as US payrolls fall by 92K in February

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Housing Market, HWmember, Inflation, Jobs Report, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Unemployment /

In a sign of a still-softening labor market, U.S. employers eliminated 92,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in February, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Economists say the report is unlikely to change the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates. Meanwhile, the jobs numbers for December 2025 were downwardly revised

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Better launches ChatGPT-based credit decision engine for mortgage and HELOC lenders

Artificial Intelligence, Better, ChatGPT, HWmember, Loan Processing, Mortgage, Origination, Technology, Underwriting /

Better.com has launched a conversational credit decision engine that lets mortgage and home equity lenders run underwriting through ChatGPT using the company’s Tinman AI platform, the company announced Thursday. The integration, built with OpenAI using a Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector, allows loan officers and bank teams to access Better’s Tinman engine directly in ChatGPT

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USDA rural housing loan changes could limit California buyers

Affordability, California, First-Time Homebuyers, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage, Regulatory, USDA /

Housing advocates warn that recent changes to a federal rural lending program could sharply limit homeownership opportunities for low-income families in California communities. The California Coalition for Rural Housing said revisions made Feb. 10 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Section 502 Direct Loan program reduce the maximum loan amount allowed under the program

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Morgan Stanley cuts 2,500 jobs across divisions

Banking, HWmember, Morgan Stanley, Mortgage, Mortgage and Housing Layoffs, Origination /

Morgan Stanley’s reported layoff of about 3% of its workforce — roughly 2,500 employees — is affecting some staff working on mortgage origination services for wealth management clients. The bank is cutting positions across its estimated 83,000-employee global workforce due to shifts in business priorities, geographic strategy changes and individual job performance considerations, people familiar

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5 referral partners every loan officer needs to build a resilient pipeline

Mortgage, Real Estate Lead Generation, Vetted by HousingWire /

A strong loan pipeline is never built on a single referral source. The homebuying cycle is unpredictable, with rates changing and transaction volume rising and falling. Relying too heavily on one source leaves the pipeline lacking. Loan officers who cultivate a variety of referral partners create stability, consistency and sustainable growth through every market cycle.

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9 Strategies to Build Mortgage Referral Clients & Your Pipeline

9 Strategies to Build Mortgage Referral Clients & Your Pipeline

Mortgage, Real Estate Agent Essentials, Vetted by HousingWire /

Strong mortgage pipelines are built on intentional, trust-based referral partnerships, not chasing one-off leads. When referral relationships are nurtured, the interaction shifts from transactional leads to relationship-driven introductions. These partners actively boost your reputation, just as you promote theirs, creating a shared commitment to better client outcomes. That collaboration shows up in the borrower experience,

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RenoFi to expand AI-powered renovation financing after $22M Series B funding

Artificial Intelligence, Funding, Home Improvement, HWmember, Investors, Lenders, Mortgage, Origination, Remodeling Activity, Technology /

RenoFi, an end-to-end financing platform built exclusively for home renovations, announced Tuesday that it closed a $22 million Series B funding round led by Fifth Wall and participation from Progressive Insurance and other new investors. In addition to their financial backing, Fifth Wall and Progressive Insurance join RenoFi as strategic partners, a move the company

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Blend launches Autopilot AI agent

Artificial Intelligence, Blend, Compliance, HWmember, Loan Processing, Mortgage, Technology, Underwriting /

Blend Labs Inc. on Tuesday announced the launch of Blend Autopilot, an AI-powered agent designed to accelerate the mortgage application process. With traditional mortgage origination taking up to 30 to 60 days and costing $11,000 or more per loan, Blend Autopilot automates document review, compliance checks, follow-ups and application updates in real time as it

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