National Mortgage News Magazine

Activist John Hope Bryant has suggested the 40-year mortgage as a solution to affordability issues for first-time buyers. While it has some support, industry players are weighing the benefits against the risks.

The presidential race has raised the stakes for housing. Where are mortgage dollars flowing, and what are experts anticipating?

Smart mortgage lenders are evaluating the effectiveness of their software tools in order to drive efficiency and growth in a competitive market. Pros weigh in on how it’s done.

Lenders and technologists offer insights on leveraging artificial intelligence as a force for good—and good business

While many working in home lending are looking to artificial intelligence for future efficiency and automation, job loss is also a concern among a majority of respondents in a new Arizent survey.

Those who raced ahead of the pack of loan originators last year went the distance by offering exceptional customer service and catering to niche customers. Inside, they tell us how they won the business.

At a tough time in the mortgage market, top lenders say creating a culture that goes outside of the home office is key to employee empowerment.

CAN IT HELP GEN Z AFFORD HOMEOWNERSHIP?

Former Federal Housing Administration head David Stevens talks about the rough road ahead for mortgage lenders.

How far we’ve come and how much further we need to go to better reflect today’s borrowers in our staffing

As lenders weather lean loan volumes, visionaries are preparing for the next boom with blockchain, AI-driven compliance capabilities and more.

How lenders are using ChatGPT and other technologies to attract younger borrowers who wouldn’t accept less than a streamlined and highly customized interactive experience.

The legendary mortgage magnate Glenn Stearns talks about making the industry “less callous.”

Last year was a tough one for the mortgage industry, but the best of the best kept their volumes high. Inside, they tell us how they did it.

How lenders assuage fear in a fading market

The main focus for IT departments going forward is finding solutions that will beef up volume, while shrinking expenses.

Why several rivals are suing the mortgage lender, and why it may not matter

From lead generation to automated appraisals, the role of digital tools in the home lending process is greater than ever, but amid increased cyberattacks, most mortgage firms have much further to go with its adoption.

As layoffs hit originations, other parts of the mortgage ecosystem are ripe with opportunity

From the challenges of underwriting today’s unconventional borrowers to “credit washing” schemes, to security exposures in the latest technologies, weighing the potential hazards ahead has never been more important for mortgage lenders

Following a banner year, the ranking loan originators discuss their plans for the tougher road ahead

Leaders with the top-ranked lenders discuss continuing education and essential comms strategies amid a rapidly changing market

How influencer loan officers and the mortgage industry at large are aiming to reach the largest emerging group of homebuyers, Gen Z

A more aggressive pursuit of the agencies’ affordable housing mission is expanding product availability, but government intervention can be a double-edged sword

Latin, Black and Asian buyers are expected to drive future homeownership growth but corporate suites have yet to reflect demographics

How technologies that perform steps in home valuations and underwriting could evolve as fintechs ramp up product development

Experts assess the potential for distressed debt sales post-pandemic and offer perspectives on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s purchases in the sector this year

United Wholesale Mortgage set off a firestorm of controversy when it forbade brokers from doing business with Rocket and Fairway. Is the brawl benefitting the wholesale channel?

Despite the hardships of the pandemic, it was a great year for the industry, bringing some lasting changes in how business is done

These notable employers detail how they’re keeping staff energized and engaged as they enter a second year of remote work

With refinance volumes predicted to fall — but currently continuing apace — lenders explain how they’re readying themselves for eventual contraction and its implications for their expenditures

With an unusually high number of unknowns to factor in, mortgage industry leaders offer a peek at their playbooks for the next year

With conferences moving to the digital sphere, organizers are finding creative ways to foster the community-building that’s vital to the field

In a wild election year, party polarization and racial equity issues make it tougher for trade groups to manage internal divisions while ensuring the field supports those who get their hands on the levers of power

How the mortgage and housing industries react to the current civil rights moment could shape policies and bridge the homeownership divide for the Black community

Lenders prepare for a ferocious volume of loans requiring loss mitigation

How the COVID-19 pandemic could change the industry forever

Loan officers at the forefront of the field say use of ai tools is key to maintaining a competitive edge, as is the need to move the client conversation beyond rates alone. And in the age of covid-19, they say remote signings and financial contingencies are more crucial than ever.

The industry’s stand-out employers are marked by inclusive cultures, Charitable spirits and cutting-edge technology. And sure, the free lunches don’t hurt.

Why 2020 could see mortgage lenders forced to reconsider their go-slow approach to AI, big data and other technologies

What the initiation of the California Consumer Privacy Act means for the mortgage industry

The Trump administration has begun actively pressing a case for ending conservatorship for Fannie and Freddie. A detailed look at what’s being proposed and how the situation is likely to evolve with respect to questions on capital, the QM patch, a federal backstop, and more

Lenders have vastly improved the user experience for consumers but staff often operate in archaic systems. That imbalance brings risks ... And is only going to grow

With time running out on a key QM safe harbor, a tipping point on housing finance policy may be at hand

Appraisers are a vanishing breed. Some in the industry see a new approach ahead, driven by artificial intelligence.

Lending against single-family home construction is an area where depositories have traditionally faced little competition. That’s starting to change

Technology, staffing, reform: Here's a look at 12 key insights from the 2019 Top Producers, from what they considered critical to success to stances they have on industry initiatives going forward.

Assessing the implications of big tech’s inevitable next run at the business of mortgage lending

The industry’s leading employers foster a culture of transparency and accountability and motivate their workers with a commitment to personal growth and innovation and tacos. Lots of tacos.

New financing options and better inventory have bolstered the manufactured housing sector. Is this the answer to lenders’ purchase-market woes?

As the industry confronts tight margins, shifting market share and regulatory uncertainty, a new leader emerges at the MBA

Shifting demand for mortgages will dictate winners and losers in key areas of the industry

Early adopters took digital mortgages from concept to reality. What will it take for everyone else to catch up?

Post-crisis measures made it harder for rogue borrowers and employees to commit fraud. NOW, a new threat has emerged: Scammers posing as title agents, real estate professionals and more

Mat Ishbia is out to convince brokers the best mortgage isn't always the cheapest

Anticipated changes to the qualified mortgage rule will give lenders more options and force them to rethink their views on risk

Home prices, jobs and evolving consumer behaviors are restoring prerecession migration patterns

Blockchain technology is poised to streamline how loans are managed at every point in their life cycle

Tight margins, regulatory clarity and a renewed appetite to expand are making the wholesale channel attractive again

Wary of concentration risk, secondary market participants are backing initiatives to give more players a piece of the action

Costs are up. Volumes aren't. Five strategies lenders are using to trim and tone their operations

Ocwen's Phyillis Cladwell is presiding over the special servicer's push to diversify its business model - and its leadership

Enhanced analytics help services improve customer retention by identifying borrowers on the cusp of buying a new home

The future of the mortgage industry lies at the intersection of people, policy, technology and capital

Services have long skimped on technology investment, leaving a legacy systems that can't keep pace with rising costs and new regulation

Get ready for consequential election

Tom Wind is once again leading a large bank's mortgage operation, ready to embrace regulation, the FHA and retail

Now, demographic shifts are intensifying industry demand for a more automated and efficient solution