Mortgage and Finance News

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its May 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found that mortgage activity continued to cool as higher rates weighed on both purchase and refinance demand. Total rate-lock volume declined 9% month over month (MoM) but remained 7% higher year over year (YoY). Purchase activity continued to dominate production, accounting for just over 81% of total lock volume, while refinance share fell to 19%, its lowest level since June 2025.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ATLANTA, Ga.) Down Payment Resource (DPR),the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homeownership programs, today announced that Melinda Harris, vice president of marketing and communications, has been named a 2026 HW Marketing Leader by HousingWire. Each year, HousingWire's HW Marketing Leaders program recognizes the executives shaping how housing finance companies communicate, compete and grow. Harris is among 70 honorees selected.

Mortgage and Finance News: (HAMMONTON, N.J.) Service First Information Solutions, LLC (Service 1st), a leading provider of credit reporting and verification solutions for the mortgage industry, announced today the addition of Joy Ziminskas as national sales director for the Southeast region to lead revenue growth and expand relationships with lenders, banks and financial institutions across Texas, Florida and surrounding markets.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, announced a strategic partnership with TheZebra.com, the easiest way to compare and buy insurance, that will give TMC's lender members a direct way to connect borrowers with home insurance options at the point of mortgage origination.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ATLANTA, Ga.) Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homeownership programs, today announced that Kathy Gault, DPA Program Specialist, has been named a 2026 Women of Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine, recognizing her impact on advancing mortgage technology and expanding access to affordable housing.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CHICO, Calif.) With West Coast architectural fees climbing to historic highs, standard residential design services are rapidly becoming cost-prohibitive for middle-class homebuilders. In a direct bid to dismantle this financial bottleneck, California-based manufacturer Sierra Log and Timber today announced the rollout of a flat-rate $950 custom 3D architectural drafting program.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TECUMSEH, Mich.) The parent company of DiggyPOD, Everbrook Holdings, announced the acquisition of Long Overdue Books, a Chicago-area publishing company known for guiding authors from first draft to finished book. The deal closed on May 15, 2026, and brings Long Overdue Books into the Everbrook family alongside DiggyPOD. DiggyPOD is a Tecumseh, Michigan-based book printer that became Everbrook's first portfolio company in June 2025.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TROY, Mich. and NAPLES, Fla.) Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company, today announced a partnership with Makena, a next-generation property data platform designed to help enterprises collect accurate, structured and actionable property data at scale. Through the partnership, Class Valuation appraisers will gain access to InstaPlan(r), Makena's mobile data collection and floor plan application, as they prepare for the wide-scale UAD 3.6 mandate on November 2, 2026.

Mortgage and Finance News: (MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.) Secured Signing, a leading provider of secure digital signature, online notarization, video signing and identity verification solutions, announces a powerful new integration with Actionstep, the cloud-based practice management platform trusted by modern law firms.

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 that Craig Leabig, Senior Vice President of Marketing, has been named a 2026 Marketing Leader by HousingWire. The award recognizes influential marketing executives who have transformed brands and driven measurable business results across the housing economy.