Mortgage

Mortgage and Finance News: (SEATTLE, Wash.) Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced the completion of a $6 million seed round. The round was led by Abstract Ventures, a San Francisco-based venture firm with $1.5 billion in assets under management and a track record of backing breakout companies including Rippling, xAI, Hebbia, Brigit and Hippo (NYSE: HIPO) and Mischief, an early-stage VC fund co-founded by Plaid CEO Zach Perret.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TROY, Mich.) Class Valuation, a leading real estate appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that Chris Flynn has joined its leadership team as chief data officer effective April 1. In his new role, Flynn will lead Class Valuation's enterprise data strategy, overseeing the development of scalable analytics, AI capabilities and automation to improve valuation accuracy, speed and transparency.

Mortgage and Finance News: (BUFFALO, N.Y.) LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage point-of-sale and automation software for banks, credit unions, independent mortgage banks, and brokers, today announced Tidewater Mortgage Services (Tidewater), a retail mortgage lending company, has replaced its legacy point-of-sale (POS) technology with LiteSpeed, thus expanding its partnership with the company. In addition to Fee Chaser™, Tidewater will now use LiteSpeed as the point-of-sale to automate mortgage processes and provide borrowers with a digital-first experience.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CLEVELAND, Ohio) Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, this week features Kelley Hailstone, president of Jet Home Loans. Hailstone will join co-hosts Rich Swerbinsky, mortgage business consultant and executive coach, and Rob Chrisman, editor-in-chief of the widely followed Chrisman Commentary newsletter, to discuss how homebuilder-aligned lending models can help lenders scale smartly, differentiate in today's market and better serve new homebuyers.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ADDISON, Texas) Click n' Close (CNC), a multi-state mortgage lender, announced today that Kim Schenck has joined its Correspondent Lending Sales team as Correspondent Manager. In her new role, Schenck will lead the expansion of the company's proprietary down payment assistance (DPA) program, which plays a key role in helping more borrowers achieve homeownership.

Mortgage and Finance News: (TROY, Mich.) Class Valuation, a leading national real estate appraisal management company (AMC), today announced the strategic acquisition of Appraisal Nation, a Cary, North Carolina-based AMC specializing in comprehensive valuation solutions for the private lending market.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its March 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, showing a 24% surge in rate lock volume as early spring buyers returned to the market and homeowners jumped at the chance to refinance into lower rates. While still down 2% on a year-over-year (YoY) basis, purchase volumes were up 21% month-over-month (MoM). Rate-and-term and cash-out refinances jumped 52% and 20% MoM, respectively, together representing 25% of all lock activity.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CLEVELAND, Ohio) Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, this week features Jodi Hall, president and CEO of The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC). Hall will join co-hosts Rich Swerbinsky, mortgage business consultant and executive coach, and Rob Chrisman, editor-in-chief of the widely followed Chrisman Commentary newsletter.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network serving the mortgage industry, proudly announces the addition of several new lender members and preferred partners to its growing community. These organizations join TMC's network of industry leaders committed to collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence.

Mortgage and Finance News: (IRVINE, Calif.) Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale platforms, today announced that Aaron Heidorn, director of software engineering and infrastructure, has been named a 2025 HousingWire Rising Star. The annual award recognizes young professionals who are driving innovation and growth in the housing economy and shaping the future of mortgage and real estate technology.

Mortgage and Finance News: (LAKE ZURICH, Ill.) Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (Dovenmuehle), a leading mortgage subservicing company, today announced that S&P Global Ratings has assigned the company an Above Average ranking as a residential mortgage loan subordinate lien servicer, in addition to reaffirming its Above Average ranking as a residential mortgage loan primary servicer with a stable outlook.

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 a provocative new webinar that dares to reframe the diversity conversation through a business lens. Amid growing pushback on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, iEmergent is doubling down on the importance of inclusive lending to lenders' long-term success. Titled "Not Sold on Diversity? Fine. Let's Talk About Your Bottom Line," the roundtable session will take place Wednesday, April 30, from 1 to 3 pm ET.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), the industry's leading mortgage and real estate data solutions provider, announces major Q1 2025 platform enhancements alongside its strategic acquisition of borrower monitoring and predictive analytics leader, MonitorBase. These initiatives solidify MMI's position as The Ultimate Lead-to-Loan Growth Platform(tm), providing mortgage professionals with unparalleled data intelligence, automation, and borrower engagement tools.

Mortgage and Finance News: (NEW YORK CITY, N.Y.) Argyle, a service provider automating income and employment verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, today announced that Daniel Esquibel, head of partner sales, has been named a 2025 HousingWire Rising Star. The award recognizes emerging real estate and mortgage industry leaders who are shaping the future through their contributions and leadership.

Mortgage and Finance News: (BOULDER, Colo.) Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, today announced that Enterprise Account Executive/Sales Engineer Maggie Zielinski Swanson has been named to HousingWire's prestigious Rising Stars list for 2025. Swanson, 29, joined Floify in 2021 as a skilled sales professional and has quickly become an indispensable force in the company's collaborative culture and growth.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced that Senior Software Engineering Manager Shawn Chandwani, 34, has been named among HousingWire's Rising Stars. The annual list celebrates young professionals who shoulder significant leadership responsibilities and contribute to the broader industry and business landscape, establishing themselves as influential figures and leaders for tomorrow.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ADDISON, Texas) Click n' Close (CNC), a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced that Project Manager Janet Pitney has been honored with a place among the 2025 HousingWire Rising Stars. The award honors young real estate and mortgage professionals making impressive career moves while driving growth for their companies and the industry. Pitney is recognized for her outstanding leadership and innovation in technology and operations.

Mortgage and Finance News: (DENVER, Colo.) ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the mortgage industry, today announced its Principal Application Architect Josh Reed has been honored among the 2025 HousingWire Rising Stars, which recognizes mortgage and real estate professionals under 40 who have made impactful career decisions driving growth in the industry and at their companies. Reed has been honored as a Rising Star for his outstanding contributions to innovation, efficiency, and compliance in the mortgage industry.

Mortgage and Finance News: (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) Informative Research Data Solutions, a division of Informative Research and leading provider of data-powered borrower intelligence and analytics tools for the financial services industry, today announced its Data Solutions Team Lead Jooyoung Jung has been recognized as a 2025 HousingWire Rising Stars Honoree. The award highlights real estate and mortgage professionals under the age of 40 making impressive career moves while empowering growth and change among their peers.

Mortgage and Finance News: (GARDEN GROVE, Calif.) Informative Research, a premier technology provider delivering data-driven credit and verification solutions to the lending community, today announced that IT Development Manager Praneeth Reddy Saripalli has been honored as a recipient of the 2025 HousingWire Rising Stars Award. The award recognizes real estate and mortgage leaders 40 years old and under who drive growth and achieve remarkable career milestones. Saripalli's leadership, technical vision and ability to align people, processes and technology have been instrumental in Informative Research's continued growth and market leadership.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CLEVELAND, Ohio) Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 pm ET, this week features Sean Dugan, incoming CEO of Dark Matter Technologies. Dugan will join co-hosts Rich Swerbinsky, mortgage business consultant and executive coach, and Rob Chrisman, editor-in-chief of the widely followed Chrisman Commentary newsletter, to discuss his leadership vision, Dark Matter's newly announced servicing platform and strategies lenders can employ to stay competitive in a shifting mortgage landscape.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC) has once again demonstrated the power of its network by swiftly assisting lenders to resolve a critical VA lending issue that had stalled loan processing nationwide. Through rapid collaboration, direct engagement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the persistence of key TMC members, impacted lenders regained their VA underwriting and insurance authority in just one week-ensuring veterans could move forward with their home purchases.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced a strategic alliance with Cotality™ (formerly CoreLogic®) that expands access to its mortgage origination and pricing data. Through this collaboration, Cotality will offer Optimal Blue's data to a broader audience, including hedge funds, capital markets participants, and investment firms seeking insights into the mortgage markets.

Mortgage and Finance News: (CLEVELAND, Ohio) Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 pm ET, this week features Mike Tannenbaum, CEO of Figure Lending, the nation's largest non-bank provider of home equity lines of credit. Tannenbaum will join co-hosts Rich Swerbinsky, mortgage business consultant and executive coach, and Rob Chrisman, editor-in-chief of the widely followed Chrisman Commentary newsletter, to explore the evolving role of fintech in mortgage lending.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) CapitalW Collective, a leading non-profit dedicated to increasing the representation of women and their allies in mortgage capital markets, proudly announces Citizens as a Diamond-level corporate sponsor. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to fostering a more inclusive and dynamic mortgage capital markets industry by providing education, mentorship, and leadership opportunities, particularly for underrepresented professionals.

Mortgage and Finance News: (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced the successful completion of its IT infrastructure migration to Amazon Web Services (AWS). This strategic move enhances Dark Matter's ability to deliver superior performance, scalability and reliability to mortgage industry clients

Mortgage and Finance News: (CLEVELAND, Ohio) Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 pm ET, this week features Chris Bennett, founder and chairman of Vice Capital Markets. Bennett will join Rich Swerbinsky, mortgage business consultant and executive coach, and Rob Chrisman, editor-in-chief of the widely followed Chrisman Commentary newsletter, to explore key trends in capital markets, the impact of Federal Reserve policy on mortgage rates and the evolving strategies lenders are using to manage risk in today's volatile market.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), the de facto leader in innovative mortgage capital markets technology, announced their integration with Fannie Mae's new Loan Pricing API. By combining various price factors and utilizing a broader set of data found in bid tapes, the new API provides greater price transparency on certain loans. This is the latest in a series of recent collaborations between MCT and Fannie Mae intended to provide additional benefit and value to mortgage secondary market participants.

Mortgage and Finance News: (NOVI, Mich.) Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, announced today it is the first to integrate Fannie Mae's new Loan Pricing application programming interface (API) into its trading portal. The API consolidates multiple APIs into one, simplifying the loan pricing process and enhancing pricing and commitments.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), the de facto leader in innovative mortgage capital markets technology, today announced a 27.91% increase in mortgage lock volume compared to the previous month. Industry professionals and stakeholders are encouraged to download the full report for a detailed analysis.