Tag: AP

Mortgage and Finance News: (AUSTIN, Texas) Velocity Credit Union is proud to celebrate the opening of its new Southwest Austin branch, a modern, expanded facility designed to better serve its growing membership across Central Texas. Located at 3419 Davis Lane, Austin, TX 78745, the full-service branch opened in late May and offers enhanced convenience, expanded services, and a welcoming space for members and the community.

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: (SEATTLE, Wash.) Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced its integration with MeridianLink®. The integration equips origination teams using MeridianLink® Mortgage to build clean, complete and compliant loan files up front that move through underwriting with fewer touches.

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: (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: (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: (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 that Lisa Binkley, Chief Operations Officer, has been named a Women of Mortgage Tech award winner by Mortgage Women Magazine for 2026. The award recognizes individuals shaping the future of mortgage technology through innovation, leadership and meaningful industry impact.

Mortgage and Finance News: (DENVER, Colo.) ACES Quality Management® (ACES), a leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, announced the release of its quarterly ACES Mortgage QC Industry Trends Report covering Q4 2025 and the full calendar year (CY) 2025. The report analyzes post-closing quality control data derived from the ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

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, today announced that it has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Financial Technology. The awards program was created in 2017 and is a project of Arizent and Best Companies Group.

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 appointment of Lucas Jones as Senior Vice President of Operations. In this role, Jones will lead operational strategy and execution, with a focus on driving efficiency, enhancing customer experience, and supporting the company's next phase of growth.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ST. LOUIS, Mo.) OptiFunder today announced the launch of OptiExchange, a partner network designed to connect mortgage lenders with a curated ecosystem of technology providers, warehouse and capital partners, and service solutions across mortgage lending.

Mortgage and Finance News: (HUNT VALLEY, Md. and PUNE, India) The Hercules Portfolio of Andromeda Software Inc. ("Andromeda"), an operating group of Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU), announced that it has acquired Peocit Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd. ("Peocit"). Founded in 2002, Peocit is a provider of core banking and lending software solutions and services with multi-lingual functionality, serving more than 4,000 cooperative societies, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and other financial institutions across India.

Mortgage and Finance News: (BEREA, Ky.) Fahe, a regional nonprofit network and Community Development Financial Institution dedicated to building thriving communities across Appalachia, today announced the launch of a digital advertising campaign introducing Housing Can't Wait(r) to donors, investors, philanthropic advisors, donor-advised fund professionals, and private wealth advisors seeking measurable, place-based impact.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SEATTLE, Wash.) Friday Harbor, an AI pre-underwriting platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, is the first mortgage technology provider to receive an AI governance compliance attestation from mortgage banking and financial services law firm Brody Gapp LLP.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ADDISON, Texas) Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, announced strategic engagement of Christy Soukhamneut and Launch Point Advisory Group to support the expansion of its Whole Loan Trading division. The move is part of a broader initiative to grow Click n' Close's secondary market presence and offer whole loan trading opportunities across its government and specialty loan programs.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SEATTLE, Wash.) NewFed Mortgage Corp., a full-service residential mortgage lender operating across more than 20 states, today announced the companywide rollout of Friday Harbor's AI pre-underwriting platform following a successful pilot program that demonstrated measurable gains in fulfillment productivity and underwriting throughput. Since implementing Friday Harbor, NewFed processors handle 36% more files per month while underwriters review 35% more loans.

Mortgage and Finance News: (SAN DIEGO, Calif.) The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation's largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, announced the formation of the Mortgage AI Council, a standing committee under TMC's lender member board of directors. The council will give community banks, credit unions and independent mortgage bankers the governance frameworks, peer intelligence and collective voice needed to adopt artificial intelligence responsibly as the technology reshapes how lenders originate loans, assess risk and serve borrowers.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ST. LOUIS, Mo.) OptiFunder®, the mortgage industry leader in warehouse management automation, announced a new integration with LendingPad, the award-winning, cloud-native loan origination system. The integration brings LendingPad and Genesis by OptiFunder together, creating a direct connection between loan origination and warehouse funding operations.

Mortgage and Finance News: (AUSTIN, Texas) Watkins Insurance Group, a leading independent insurance agency in Texas, has announced the addition of Patrick McFadden as a Private Client Insurance Advisor. McFadden brings 30 years of insurance experience and holds the LUTC and FSCP professional designations. His hire reflects the agency's continued commitment to serving the Austin metro market and specifically the growing segment of individuals and families whose lifestyles and assets require a more tailored approach to coverage strategy and personal service.

Mortgage and Finance News: (ST. LOUIS, Mo.) OptiFunder, the mortgage industry pioneer in warehouse management automation, has partnered with Vesta, the AI-native loan origination system and agent platform, to connect loan origination and warehouse funding workflows. The integration links origination, funding, and sale to the capital markets, eliminating fragmented systems and manual handoffs that have historically slowed execution and increased risk.

Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its April 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found that mortgage lock activity pulled back after a strong first quarter. Total rate-lock volume declined 9% month over month (MoM) but remained 11% higher year over year (YoY). Purchase lock volume declined just under 2% from March but increased more than 9% from April 2025, continuing to lead production as refinance activity cooled.

Mortgage and Finance News: (AUSTIN, Texas) FirstClose, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced SmartDocs, a new disclosure intelligence capability available through its XpressEquity point-of-sale platform. SmartDocs functions as the intelligence layer that determines when disclosure obligations begin and initiates the appropriate workflow based on lender-configured rules, helping standardize timing and delivery across programs and jurisdictions.

Mortgage and Finance News: (LA MESA, Calif.) LegalizeFerrets.org says a new phase has emerged in California's long-running ferret controversy after the California Fish and Game Commission and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife filed demurrers in response to a lawsuit involving Petition 2025-003 - a citizen petition seeking reconsideration of California's classification of domestic ferrets as restricted animals.

Mortgage and Finance News: (AUGUSTA, Ga.) Pillar To Post® Home Inspectors has named Jeremiah Adell Jr., owner of Pillar To Post of Greater Augusta, its 2025 Rookie of the Year, an award presented recently in 2026 to recognize outstanding overall performance based on sales, market growth and contribution to the brand.

Mortgage and Finance News: (LONG BEACH ISLAND, N.J.) Save Long Beach Island (Save LBI), a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting our oceans from needless industrialization, along with other concerned parties, filed suit against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to compel the agency to act on a 2025 petition intended to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW).