Mortgage and Finance News

Mortgage and Finance News: (CHICAGO, Ill.) Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced Safe Harbor QC, a new pre-closing quality control solution that combines a comprehensive loan review with a warranty backed by a global insurer rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best with the agency's highest financial size category (XV).

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced it has acquired Usherpa, a marketing automation and borrower relationship engagement platform purpose-built for mortgage professionals. The acquisition expands Optimal Blue's ability to help lenders win more business by bringing borrower engagement capabilities closer to the product, pricing and eligibility solutions that over 200,000 originators use to identify and convert loan opportunities.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced that its direct lock functionality now integrates with Fannie Mae's Pricing & Execution - Whole Loan® (PE - Whole Loan) platform. The integration allows lenders using Optimal Blue's product, pricing and eligibility (PPE) engine to execute best efforts locks with Fannie Mae through real-time, system-to-system connectivity without leaving Optimal Blue.

Mortgage and Finance News: (BUFFALO, N.Y.) LenderLogix and Jerry today announced an integration that helps mortgage borrowers proactively secure homeowners insurance once they've submitted their mortgage application. Within LenderLogix's LiteSpeed point-of-sale platform, borrowers can seamlessly shop for homeowners insurance directly from their borrower dashboard.

Mortgage and Finance News: (AUSTIN, Texas) FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for home equity and mortgage lenders nationwide, today announced a strategic alliance with Cotality™, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider that supports 80% of real estate transactions in North America.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TORRANCE, Calif.) DocMagic® announced today that Chief Information Officer Jeremy Boyd has been named a recipient of the 2026 Lending Luminary Award presented by PROGRESS in Lending. The honor recognizes mortgage industry leaders who demonstrate exceptional vision, leadership, and commitment to advancing the future of lending.

Mortgage and Finance News: (WATERTOWN, Mass. and MANCHESTER, N.H.) Avatar Construction, the Watertown, Massachusetts based design-build firm known for its integrated approach to commercial and multi-family development, today announced the successful completion and grand opening of Grand Central Suites, a 77-unit luxury apartment community at 21 Central Street in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TORRANCE, Calif.) DocMagic® announced today that Chief Operating Officer Lori Johnson has been named one of Mortgage Banker's 2026 Powerful Women of Mortgage Banking. The award recognizes women in mortgage banking who stand out as leaders by driving innovation, adapting to change and making a positive impact on their organizations, colleagues and the industry.

Mortgage and Finance News: (DENVER, Colo.) ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced today that it has been named one of the AI Pioneer Award winners by PROGRESS in Lending. Honorees include 14 financial technology companies whose AI work spans the loan lifecycle from origination through servicing.

Mortgage and Finance News: (RALEIGH, N.C.) Capital Automotive Group today announced the acquisition of six Larry Cloninger dealerships and an independent collision center in North and South Carolina, marking a significant expansion for the family-owned automotive group and, more importantly, the continuation of a legacy built on relationships, community, and more than four decades of friendship between the Cloninger and Michael families.