Mortgage servicing execs expect ‘profound’ changes under Trump

Mortgage servicing executives foresee significant changes for the industry under a Donald Trump administration, particularly when it comes to interest rates, reform of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and conforming loan limits. But opinions diverge on what to expect in 2025 and beyond.Mi
Read MoreData suggests stability ‘on the horizon’ for home insurance premiums

Home insurance premiums continue to rise, but the severity of the increases have cooled in recent months, which suggests that a semblance of stability is returning to the market. But this doesn’t negate the reality of other turbulent risk factors — including extreme weather events stemming from clim
Read MoreDid lower mortgage rates lead to higher home prices in October?
Home prices firmed up in today’s existing home sales report, but we caught on to this trend two months ago with our Housing Market Tracker. Traditionally, home prices soften in the second half of the year and I had counted on this for my price forecast, which predicted 2.33% home-price growth for 20
Read MoreDefendants with settlements dismissed from Hooper commission lawsuit

The Hooper (formerly Phillips) copycat commission lawsuit is down a few defendants. In a ruling on Thursday, Judge Mark H. Cohen of the U.S. District Court in Atlanta granted the plaintiffs’ consent motion to drop certain defendants from the suit with prejudice.The defendants now free from the suit
Read MoreKeller Williams taps Shanan Steere to head up leadership growth

Keller Williams wants to give its team leaders a boost.The real estate franchise has hired Shanan Steere to be its director of growth operations. In the role, Steere will be charged with “reimagining core market center leadership training,” with the hope of recruiting future leaders to the company.“
Read MoreReverse mortgage pro shares how he became a HECM customer

Tim Nelson, a longtime reverse mortgage industry professional and reverse department manager at VIP Mortgage in Scottsdale, Arizona, spent 20 years in the home lending arena before shifting his focus entirely to reverse. With that focus came attention and appreciation for the reverse mortgage produc
Read MoreTime for a makeover: Trade groups want a revamp of the major flood insurance program

After years of stops and starts, housing trade groups are urging Congress to pass a long-term extension to the National Flood Insurance Program. (Image generated by AI in Midjourney)It is unsurprising that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is yet again up for renewal in a little over a mon
Read MoreSide seeks more than $4 million from Alexander brothers, Official Partners

White-label brokerage Side is seeking more than $4 million from the Alexander brothers and the brokerage Official Partners.According to an amended complaint filed this week, Side alleges that Official Partners and its founders Tal and Oren Alexander committed multiple events of default on a $4.6 mil
Read MoreHow the “lavish” comp and perks NAR leaders enjoy compares to other housing trade groups

NAR’s volunteer leaders receive financial benefits that no other nonprofit in the housing space comes close to matching, 990 filings reveal. Earlier this week the National Association of Realtors(NAR) made headlines for the extravagant perks and compensation its executives and volunteer leaders rece
Read MoreFannie Mae’s new version of DU to focus on credit risks

Fannie Mae on Wednesday announced that its next version of the Desktop Underwriter (DU) software platform will be available for users on Jan. 11. The platform will feature “enhanced” risk assessment by incorporating new data points, including updated market conditions and loan performance data in it
Read MoreRate announces revamp of reverse mortgage division with industry veterans

Chicago-based multichannel mortgage lender Rate, formerly known as Guaranteed Rate, has announced a shakeup in its reverse mortgage division’s leadership by appointing two longtime industry veterans to lead the company’s efforts with older borrowers.Jesse Allen, most recently of OneTrust Home Loans
Read More10.5 million borrowers at or over age 65 still have forward mortgages

While many older homeowners own their properties free and clear of a mortgage payment, this is not a feasible reality for many seniors. In fact, more than 10.5 million Americans at or over the age of 65 still pay into a forward mortgage loan, according to a study conducted by LendingTree.To get a be
Read MoreCredit reports will be at least 20% more expensive in 2025, frustrated mortgage execs say

Executives at mortgage lenders anticipate a minimum 20% increase in credit reporting costs in 2025 compared to 2024. And the soaring costs will hit as lenders try to dig out from multiple years of financial losses and mass layoffs.In early November, Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), the company behind the wi
Read MoreFHA wants added flexibilities for borrowers renting out a bedroom

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Wednesday posted a proposed Mortgagee Letter (ML) that would add flexibility for people receiving rental income from “boarders” who pay for space in an existing dwelling when considering them for an FHA-insured mortgage.Borrowers receiving rental income fr
Read MoreHSBC commits $25M to NCRC partnership following redlining allegations

HSBC has agreed to direct $25 million over the next four years to support underserved communities in an agreement with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) following allegations of redlining, the parties announced on Wednesday. In August 2023, the bank disclosed it was under investig
Read More76% of home sellers say real estate agents are absolutely worth it

Nearly three quarters of recent American home sellers said in a Clever survey that using a traditional real estate agent is the best way to sell. As real estate agents adjust to sweeping changes brought by the commission lawsuit settlement, a new report from discount brokerage Clever Real Estate rev
Read MoreAntitrust lawsuit over MLS access dismissed in California

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is getting a temporary reprieve from the latest antitrust suit it’s fighting regarding “three-way membership agreements” for MLS access.On Monday, the complaint filed earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles by John Diaz was dismissed by Jud
Read MoreCompetition for homes easing fastest in Florida, Texas

How might investors view reverse mortgages in 2025 and beyond?

Major reverse mortgage companies like Finance of America (FOA) and Ellington Financial — the parent of reverse lender Longbridge Financial — recently released their third-quarter 2024 earnings results, with FOA in particular posting strong numbers while Ellington continues to tout the versatility of
Read MoreColdwell Banker CEO highlights crucial role of communication skills for agent development

In the newest episode of the RealTrending podcast, host Tracey Velt sits down with Kamini Lane, CEO and president of Coldwell Banker Realty. In this fireside chat, Velt and Lane explore her approach to leadership, Coldwell Banker’s unique focus on agent development and its training program that is d
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