Originations

2025’s Top Producers by loan count

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 […]

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Fannie, Freddie regulator: Powell should cut rates or quit

Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s regulator called for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down on Wednesday if he doesn’t cut short-term rates, as monetary policymakers left them unchanged again. “Jay Powell is hurting the housing market by being too late to lower rates. He needs to resign, effective immediately,” Bill Pulte said in

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Fed officials hold rates again, still see two cuts by year end

Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged and continued to pencil in two rate cuts in 2025, saying uncertainty over the economic outlook was still high but had diminished. The Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to hold the benchmark federal funds rate in a range of 4.25%-4.5%, as they have at each

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What Americans’ optimism about finances means for lenders

Fears of tariffs and inflation abound these days, with many Americans concerned that rising prices will push up housing costs. But even as younger consumers worry about buying a home, many of them remain hopeful about their own finances, offering some encouraging news to mortgage lenders looking for unmet demand. More than half or 55%

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Mortgage rates move lower ahead of Fed decision

Mortgage rate movements stayed muted as investors await the culmination of June’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting later on Wednesday. Rates declined for the third consecutive week, but remained in that tight 6.8% range, the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market survey reported. The survey was released a day early because of the Juneteenth holiday. What

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Guild, Bayview talks result in deal valued at $1.3 billion

The outcome of previously-reported talks between Guild Mortgage and Bayview, a quiet servicing giant and asset manager, is a finalized acquisition valued at $1.3 billion that will transform the lender. In line with previous talks, a Bayview fund will buy outstanding shares of Guild it didn’t already own. The publicly-traded lender plans to go private

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Mortgage group eyes end of tri-merge reports

The Mortgage Bankers Association has begun to study the feasibility of reducing the government-related mortgage market’s traditional three credit-report pull to a single one, putting a new twist on an old proposal. President and CEO Bob Broeksmit said in a recent blog that the move could fit in with an industry regulator’s interest in promoting

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Why home equity is high but the typical house’s value fell

The slow erosion in first-quarter home equity from a year ago equates to a four-figure decline in house value, according to Cotality’s latest numbers. The new Cotality study, which follows an earlier report of home equity declines by Attom, shows the trend drove a typical house’s value down by $4,200 at the beginning of 2025

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Tech-driven homebuyer platform Realpha hits Texas

Technology-backed real estate platform Realpha is expanding into Texas, the latest move in its attempt to establish end-to-end home buying services across the country.  Already active in Florida, Realpha rolled out its platform to the Lone Star State through an agreement with national brokerage Continental Real Estate Group, allowing it to build a customer base

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Home equity investment products set to soar, experts say

A “perfect storm” is paving the way for growth in home equity investment contracts, with originations and secondary market activity both on the upswing for the emerging asset class, industry leaders said this week.   Tailwinds behind the product gives reason for optimism, according to Mark Ginsberg, an expert in securitized products originations at Barclays Investment

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