Mortgage and Finance News

Mortgage and Finance News: (CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.) LodeStar Software Solutions (LodeStar), the leading provider of mortgage closing cost and fee data, today announced that it is integrated with Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®). LodeStar's Closing Cost Calculator is now available in Empower® loan origination system (Empower), developed in conjunction with the Dark Matter Developer Platform.

Mortgage and Finance News: (NOVI, Mich.) Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, today announced the appointment of Terry Aikin as executive vice president, strategic growth. Aikin will focus on expanding Vice Capital’s customer base, strengthening existing client relationships and identifying new market opportunities.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TROY, Mich.) Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), has been verified by Fannie Mae® and Freddie Mac (the government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs) to support the Uniform Property Data Report (UPDR) specification under Uniform Property Dataset (UPD) Version 1.0. Use of the UPDR is mandatory for mortgages with applications received on or after June 30, 2026.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its June 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found that mortgage activity strengthened month over month (MoM), with purchase lock volume climbing to its highest level since early spring and pull-through rates rebounding across both purchase and refinance pipelines. Total rate-lock volume rose 10% MoM and 15% year over year (YoY).

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, has launched the TMC Healthcare Cooperative, a self-funded medical program open to all TMC lender members and preferred partners. Developed in partnership with CCIG, a Colorado-based employee benefits firm, the program gives vendors, community banks, credit unions and independent mortgage bankers a way to fund their own health claims as a group.

Mortgage and Finance News: (HOUSTON, Texas) NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization (RON) and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced that President Brian Webster has been recognized as a 2026 Inman Best in Finance award winner.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ASHEVILLE, N.C.) Millions of Americans have prepared wills, named beneficiaries, and organized their financial records, but many have overlooked a critical question: What happens to their email accounts, online banking, digital photos, passwords, and other digital assets when they die? TheSeniorTechie founder Paul Wilczynski addresses that growing problem in his new book, “Who Gets Your Passwords? TheSeniorTechie Guide To Digital Estate Planning” (ISBN:‎ 979-8995501725), now available on Amazon.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TAMPA, Fla.) Homeowners searching for an ADU builder in Tampa or St. Petersburg have a new reason to act and a full-service option in Craftline Remodeling, a licensed Florida design-build contractor (CBC1269114) that handles accessory dwelling units and garage conversions entirely in-house.

Mortgage and Finance News: (LAKE ZURICH, Ill.) Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (DMI), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that Amber Cowan, first vice president of Default Operations, has been named a Mortgage Stars honoree by Mortgage Women Magazine. The program recognizes women making significant contributions to the mortgage industry through innovation, leadership and impact on colleagues and clients.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SEATTLE, Wash.) Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, has been named a recipient of PROGRESS in Lending's 2026 Connections Award alongside NewFed Mortgage Corp. (NewFed), a full-service residential mortgage lender operating in more than 20 states. The recognition honors a partnership that allowed NewFed to grow production without the hiring cycles and overhead that typically accompany scale.