Mortgage and Finance News

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its October 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found that adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share reached a new high even as rate-lock volume declined across every major loan category. Total rate-lock volume fell 19% month over month (MoM) and 38% year over year (YoY). Purchase volume declined 18% MoM and 17% YoY but still accounted for 84% of October locks, while refinance share fell to 16% of total production.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CHARLOTTE, N.C. and VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC (Atlantic Bay) today announced it has been recognized as a 2026 Top Workplace by The Charlotte Observer, marking its 11th consecutive year receiving the regional honor. The distinction places Atlantic Bay among just 47 Charlotte-area organizations with more than 500 employees recognized in 2026, extending a record of workplace recognition built on feedback from the people who work there.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CHARLOTTE, N.C. and VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group LLC (Atlantic Bay) today announced it has been recognized as a 2026 Top Workplace by The Charlotte Observer, marking its 11th consecutive year receiving the regional honor. The distinction places Atlantic Bay among just 47 Charlotte-area organizations with more than 500 employees recognized in 2026, extending a record of workplace recognition built on feedback from the people who work there.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ATLANTA, Ga.) Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading affordability intelligence platform, today announced that Angel Romero, housing finance agency relationship manager at DPR, has been named vice chair of the Technology Impact and Enablement (TIE) Community of Practice at the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO®). The community brings together stakeholders from across the mortgage industry to identify, evaluate and advance technology innovations and to assess how emerging technologies affect mortgage processes, data standards and interoperability.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ATLANTA, Ga.) Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading affordability intelligence platform, today announced that Angel Romero, housing finance agency relationship manager at DPR, has been named vice chair of the Technology Impact and Enablement (TIE) Community of Practice at the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO®). The community brings together stakeholders from across the mortgage industry to identify, evaluate and advance technology innovations and to assess how emerging technologies affect mortgage processes, data standards and interoperability.

Mortgage and Finance News: (WATERTOWN, Mass.) Rising material costs, permitting delays, and tighter financing are changing how developers build in Greater Boston. More owners are skipping the traditional split between designer and contractor and choosing a single accountable team. Avatar Construction Watertown MA, a design-build general contractor serving Massachusetts and New Hampshire, says that shift is driving its continued growth.

Mortgage and Finance News: (IRVINE, Calif.) Loan Bridge Solutions is highlighting its free initial debt settlement consultations for consumers struggling to keep up with qualifying unsecured debts, including credit card balances and personal loans. The consultations give consumers a chance to understand how settlement works and what to consider before deciding whether to enroll.

Mortgage and Finance News: (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced it has upgraded its technology infrastructure to support lenders' adoption of multiple credit scoring models. IR clients are actively using both Classic FICO(r) and VantageScore(r) 4.0, the two models now available to every lender selling loans to the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) following their Sept. 9 expansion.

Mortgage and Finance News: (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) Informative Research (IR), a leading technology provider of data-driven credit and verification solutions for the lending industry, today announced it has upgraded its technology infrastructure to support lenders' adoption of multiple credit scoring models. IR clients are actively using both Classic FICO(r) and VantageScore(r) 4.0, the two models now available to every lender selling loans to the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) following their Sept. 9 expansion.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) Seabird Investment Partners, a San Diego-based, SEC-registered investment adviser specializing in value oriented fixed income and equity investments, today announced that Craig Fletcher has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer, effective September 14, 2026. Fletcher will help scale Seabird's operations and position the firm for accelerated growth.