Author name: Ricky Vasquez

UWM brings back 1% down conventional mortgage

United Wholesale Mortgage is bringing back a conventional purchase mortgage in which the borrower only has to come up with a 1% down payment. A previous version of the product was last offered in May 2024. With this iteration, the mortgage is available up to the conforming loan limit for buyers at or below 80%

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REIT buys HomeXpress in cash-and-stock deal worth over $120M

Chimera Investment Corp., a New York-based real estate investment trust, announced plans to buy non-QM lender HomeXpress Mortgage in a cash-and-stock deal worth over $120 million Thursday. The deal, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, includes a $120 million cash payment for the Santa Ana, California-based company, plus more than 2 million

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Figure HELOC securitization breaks new ground in ratings

Figure Technology Solutions has announced a blockchain-based home-equity line of credit securitization that it says is the first to receive a AAA rating from a major rating agency, broadening its investor base. Standard & Poor’s ratings for the $355 million, six-tranche deal, FIGRE 2025-HE3, range from a top AAA to B-minus, which is a low-end

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Your House Didn’t Sell. Here’s What To Do Now.

When your house doesn’t sell, it doesn’t just feel frustrating – it feels personal. You put time, money, and emotional energy into this move. You told your friends and family it was happening. And now that your listing has expired without a buyer? You’re left feeling stuck, and maybe even a little embarrassed. And here’s

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Century 21 merger expands central Florida presence

Century 21 Myers Realty has merged with PAL Realty, a Leesburg, Florida-based firm that specializes in serving 55-plus active adult communities. The merger expands the reach of Century 21 Myers Realty to seven offices and brings its agent count to approximately 160. PAL Realty, founded in 2006 by broker June Robbins, will now operate under

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Unlock MLS, Omni MLS partner on international property access

Texas-based Unlock MLS has entered into a strategic agreement with Omni MLS — the largest subscriber-based multiple listing service in Latin America — to provide expanded international property access for its members. The partnership integrates Omni’s property listings across 17 Latin American countries — soon to grow to 21 — into the Unlock MLS system

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AppFolio enhances AI property management tools

AppFolio unveiled new artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities at this year’s National Apartment Association Apartmentalize conference, expanding its platform Realm-X with new features aimed at automating property management tasks. The company introduced Realm-X Performers, which are AI tools designed to handle specific operational processes autonomously. According to AppFolio, the technology is part of a broader shift

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Tami Pardee on scaling her agency with a Hollywood playbook

On the latest episode of the RealTrending podcast, host Tracey Velt sits down with Tami Pardee, founder of Pardee Properties in Venice, California. Pardee leads a boutique brokerage that’s redefining high-touch service and high-performance operations in the real estate world. Drawing from her roots in the entertainment industry, Pardee reveals how she reimagined the traditional

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