Originations

5 trends driving digital mortgage solutions in 2025

As homebuyers demand faster, easier lending experiences, mortgage professionals are under pressure to deliver speed, compliance, and consistency across every stage of the loan lifecycle. According to Fannie Mae, 75 percent of recent homebuyers cited process acceleration as the top benefit of a digital mortgage process, while 71 percent pointed to ease of use.  With […]

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As Trump, foes collide, occupancy fraud is spotlighted

With three of Donald Trump’s adversaries now under investigation for occupancy fraud, the practice of misstating a home’s intended use on mortgage applications is drawing fresh scrutiny. We asked experts how widespread the problem really is and what the renewed attention could mean for the industry. The type of fraud a government-sponsored enterprise regulator is

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Underwriting errors push loan defects higher

Lagging tech adoption and credit underwriting issues were likely contributors to loan quality worsening from a recent record-low rate, according to Aces Quality Management.  The overall critical defect rate rose to 1.31% in the first quarter, shifting away from the fourth quarter’s historical low of 1.16%, the company’s latest report found. Defects rose in three

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Mortgage rates remain flat as markets wait for Powell speech

Mortgage rates were unchanged as the markets await what Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will say on Friday. At the same time, a 10-basis point rise in the 10-year Treasury between Aug. 13 and Aug 18 was partially reversed by two days later in anticipation of a speech possibly hinting at September Fed Funds Rate

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ALTA adds seller impersonation coverage to its title policy

The American Land Title Association has created two title insurance policy endorsements addressing the issue of seller-impersonation fraud. These endorsements will allow title insurers to cover any potential legal costs to correct public records if forged deeds or mortgages are recorded. The first, formally known as the ALTA 49 Endorsement, covers forgery in a new

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USDA invests in upgraded mortgage underwriting technology

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a contract to technology services firm Phoenixteam as it seeks to upgrade its mortgage underwriting platform, whose capabilities have long lagged those of its peers.  The $49 million deal paves the way for the Arlington, Virginia-based firm to update the Guaranteed Underwriting System at USDA, which offers mortgage

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30-year mortgage rate declines by most since February

US mortgage rates dropped last week by the most since February, enticing homeowners to step up refinancing. The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage declined 10 basis points to 6.67% in the week ended Aug. 8, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. The rate on a 15-year mortgage retreated below 6% for the

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UAD 3.6: How the mortgage industry should prepare

Following the financial crisis, the conforming secondary market created new rules for delivering data, starting with the Uniform Mortgage Data Program and the Uniform Collateral Data Portal. The UCDP rolled out in June 2011, soon followed by the Uniform Appraisal Dataset. This fall, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will begin testing the next big change:

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Fannie Mae cuts outlook for 2025–26 home sales

Fannie Mae’s August mortgage origination forecast predicts lower volume in 2025 and 2026 compared with July as the government-sponsored enterprise moved its rate expectations higher. It now expects total home sales to decline year-over-year. Fannie Mae is still looking for existing home sales to rise, but not by as much previously expected. The drop off

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Cost cutting helps drive IMBs to best numbers since 2021

Increasing loan balances, reduced head count and higher seasonal volume led nonbanks to report the highest loan production profits in years last quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.  The pre-tax net production profit of $950 per originated reversed a two-quarter slide into the red, with improvement surging from a loss of $28 per transaction

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