IMBs originate 84% of residential mortgages in 2025

The Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) on Thursday released its 2025 report on independent mortgage banks (IMBs), highlighting these companies as the “dominant” force in mortgage lending as they originated 84.1% of all U.S. single-family mortgages last year. CHLA cited data from the Urban Inst
Read MoreZillow launches 'Someday Starts Today,' a campaign for every stage of the home journey

Foreclosure auction volume reaches highest level since Q2 2020

Foreclosure auction volume in the fourth quarter of 2025 rose 48% from a year ago, reaching the highest level since the second quarter of 2020, according to Auction.com‘s Q4 2025 Auction Market Dispatch report. Volume remained 39% below the level seen in Q1 2020, just before the start of the COVID-1
Read MoreGen X investors are confident, but they often lack formal retirement plans

A new study commissioned by Equitable and conducted by The Wall Street Journal’s Intelligence Unit examines how Gen X is approaching investing and retirement planning. The research is based on a survey of 500 retail investors — primarily Gen X — with millennials and pre-retiree baby boomers included
Read MoreLouisville, Ky., joins municipalities piloting AI to fast-track permits

Earlier this month, the City of Louisville, Ky., announced a partnership with Govstream.ai, a technology company that utilizes AI to speed up the permitting process, reflecting a broader national push to utilize AI to accelerate permitting and approvals. Municipalities are increasingly under pressu
Read MoreJim Park on appraisal workforce shortage and regulatory shifts

The U.S. appraisal industry is facing a myriad of issues: a workforce shortage, rising regulatory scrutiny and new technology requirements that could reshape the profession altogether. Jim Park, the president and CEO of Collateral Risk Network and a certified general appraiser, spoke with HousingWir
Read MoreIndiana bill targets housing affordability with state zoning changes

Another state vs. local jurisdiction showdown is brewing up in Indiana. Lawmakers there are poised to strip cities of much of their power over where and how new housing is built, setting up a clash over who holds the reins of local growth and – critically – housing development. Indiana’s proposed bi
Read MoreNAR, .RealEstate helping Realtors build online presence

.RealEstate — an official partner of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) — has launched a unified digital platform designed to help real estate professionals build and manage their online presence. The launch follows the company’s rebrand from Get.Realtor in August 2025 and marks a shift from
Read MoreSoftPro releases FinCEN anti-money laundering data solutions

SoftPro has released new integrated software tools designed to help title companies comply with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) new anti-money laundering rule. The company said its Buyer and Seller Collection Forms are available to help users gather required data under the rule —
Read MoreCardinal Financial launches nondelegated correspondent program

Cardinal Financial‘s third-party origination division announced Wednesday the launch of its nondelegated correspondent program that targets independent mortgage lenders. The program allows approved nondelegated correspondents to originate loans in their own name while using Cardinal Financial’s loan
Read MoreLong & Foster taps Lacey Conway as new president

Lacey Conway is leaving Compass to serve as the president of Long & Foster Real Estate. HomeServices of America, as announced by the parent company of Long & Foster’s on Wednesday. In this role Conway will work closely with Patrick Bain, the CEO and president of The Long & Foster Companies, and she
Read MoreFed holds rates steady as political pressure overshadows policy decisions

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady Wednesday in a target range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The decision was widely expected as little has changed since December in the balance of risks tied to its dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability, economists said. “Available indi
Read MoreRocket Companies hit with class-action lawsuit alleging steering, home-price inflation

Detroit-based Rocket Companies was hit with a class-action lawsuit on Monday that accuses one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders of steering consumers to their loan products, “even though Rocket Mortgage‘s terms are disadvantageous to the clients.” The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court
Read MorePolicy clash: how two housing policies blend to price out millions

It goes with the insanity of today’s U.S. housing affordability crisis that two rights can make a wrong. Two federal policies — each designed to lower the lifetime operating cost of owning a home — can instead combine to raise the barrier to entry so high that millions of households never get throug
Read MoreJason Mitchell Group adds LitFinancial to referral network

The Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) said it has added mortgage brokerage LitFinancial to its network of business-to-business partners. LitFinancial was founded in 2024 and has closed more than $1 billion in client volume since launching — providing mortgage services and working with homebuyers nationwide
Read MoreHUD orders housing agencies to verify tenant eligibility

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has ordered public housing authorities and property owners participating in federal housing programs to verify tenant eligibility as it relates issues including undocumented immigration. HUD Secretary Scott Turner said the directive is part of a
Read MoreNew real estate certification spotlights agents committed to consumer protection

Transparency is sweeping the housing industry with everyone from trade associations and brokerage leaders to agents and consumers claiming they want more transparency in the home buying and selling process. For agents looking to up their commitment to transparency, Housing Rebel by Selling Later, a
Read MoreOnity targets $150M debt raise via PHH subsidiaries

Onity Group — the parent company of PHH Mortgage Corp. and its subsidiary, Liberty Reverse Mortgage — plans to raise $150 million through a debt offering to qualified investors via two of its subsidiaries, the company announced Monday. PHH Corp. and PHH Escrow Issuer LLC are offering senior notes du
Read MoreSamara installs its first modular home for Altadena wildfire victims

Samara, a California-based manufacturer of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), installed its first modular home for wildfire victims in Altadena, Calif., on Thursday, in partnership with nonprofit organization Steadfast LA. The installation, which took place last week, is part of a local rebuilding ef
Read MoreDown payment assistance availability continues to grow in Q4 2025

Down Payment Resource (DPR) on Monday released its Q4 2025 Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report, identifying 2,619 down payment assistance (DPA) programs available nationwide. The count is five fewer compared to the third quarter but represents a 6% increase from Q4 2024, when 2,466 programs wer
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