Mortgage and Finance News

Mortgage and Finance News: (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter), an innovative leader in home lending technology, today announced the promotions of Don Oliver to chief technology officer, Chris Medvidofsky to chief financial officer and Blaine Prober to general counsel. All three have been with Dark Matter since it launched in 2023. The timing reflects how the company has built its leadership team: supporting people's growth within the organization when they demonstrate experience, leadership and a customer-first mindset.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its September 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found non-qualified mortgage (non-QM) lending continued to expand even as rising rates weighed on broader mortgage activity. Total rate-lock volume declined 2% month over month (MoM), 21% over the past three months and 26% year over year (YoY). Non-QM lock volume bucked the broader decline, rising 8% MoM as non-QM loans accounted for 12% of September production.

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: (DES MOINES, Iowa) iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, today announced that CEO Laird Nossuli has been named a finalist for the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) inaugural mPower Visionary Awards. Nossuli was honored October 10 in Chicago at mPowering You, the MBA Summit for Women in Real Estate Finance, following a selection process that drew nearly 100 nominees from across the mortgage industry.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ASHEVILLE, N.C.) Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville's River Arts District, one of its most visible abandoned corners is coming back to life. Lobo Builders has restored a landmark historic church as The Treadway, six Mountain Modern townhomes in the district USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards named the No. 1 arts district in the United States in 2026.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ATLANTA, Ga.) Strategic Benefits Advisors, Inc. (SBA), an independent employee benefits consulting firm, today announced it was named HR Consultant/Advisory Partner of the Year in the 2026 Pinnacle Awards for Human Resources, earning the category's sole platinum award, the program's highest level of recognition. The honor recognizes SBA's expertise in benefits consulting, with particular emphasis on a longstanding client engagement led by Director Kim Shumate.

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.