News Topic: Optimal Blue
News: Mortgage Lock Activity Fell in November as Interest Rates Hit Their Highest Levels Since July
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its November 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, highlighting a 25% decrease in month-over-month (MoM) lock volume as interest rates hit their highest levels since early July, creating headwinds for affordability.
News: Optimal Blue Announces Tony Hawk, Housing Industry Leaders to Headline Inaugural User Conference
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced the speaker lineup for its inaugural user conference, the Optimal Blue Summit 2025. Legendary skateboarder and entrepreneur Tony Hawk will headline the event. The conference will also feature sessions led by Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research and Business Development Michael Fratantoni, Ph.D., MBA Associate Vice President of Secondary and Capital Markets Sasha Hewlett, AMP, HousingWire Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler, and representatives from Microsoft.
News: October Mortgage Lock Data Shows Resilience and Cracks in the Mortgage Market as Interest Rates Tick up 65 Basis Points
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its October 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, highlighting resilient purchase activity in the face of rising interest rates and affordability challenges. Despite a 65-basis-point (bps) increase in the Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (OBMMI) 30-year conforming rate, purchase lock volume grew by 12% month over month (MoM), signaling strong demand among homebuyers.
News: Optimal Blue Promotes Industry Experts to New Executive Roles to Accelerate Innovation and Prioritize Partnerships
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced two key executive promotions that will position the company to deliver innovation faster across the company's entire capital markets platform, and to further expand the company's network of partners. Erin Wester has been promoted to chief product officer and Mike Vough has been promoted to head of corporate strategy.
News: Optimal Blue Announces Three Major Product Releases, Continuing Streak of Aggressive Product Innovation and No-Cost Feature Additions
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced three major product releases: the expansion of its AI assistant suite, the introduction of Scenario Optimizer, and the free availability of Investor Pricing Insight to investor clients. These product updates build on the company's commitment to rapidly delivering high-impact solutions that tackle real-world challenges while helping clients maximize profitability.
News: Rate-and-Term Refinance Locks Surge 700% Over Previous Year Following the FOMC’s September Interest Rate Reduction
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its September 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found a 50% month-over-month (MoM) increase in rate-and-term refinance activity as people who purchased homes in recent years jumped at the opportunity to lower their interest rates and mortgage payments. While the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered its target federal funds rate by 50 bps on Sept. 18, the market had already priced in a portion of the rate reduction, leading to a full month of increased refinance activity in September.
News: Optimal Blue Expands Expertise, Market Leadership With Launch of Two In-House Podcasts
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue announced the release of two in-house podcasts that extend the reach of the company's capital markets experience and expertise built over its decades as the technology leader in its space. The Optimal Insights podcast and video, which will be released weekly, will provide timely analyses of market factors impacting loan originators and capital markets professionals.
News: Optimal Blue Rolls Out Innovations in New UI, Gen AI, Originator Capabilities and New No-Cost Solutions
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced its extensive plans for innovation across its complete capital markets technology ecosystem leading up to its Optimal Blue Summit, where innovations will be unveiled live. New capabilities will be introduced into the core platform beginning in mid-September and continuing through the Optimal Blue Summit, a national user conference being held in San Diego in February.
News: Rate-and-Term Refinances Surge 109% MoM in August as Mortgage Rates Decline
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its August 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which reveals an overall 1% rise in rate lock volume despite the typical seasonal slowdown in purchase lending. Lock volume growth was driven by a surge in refinance activity as homeowners reacted to declining mortgage rates.
News: Optimal Blue to Host Inaugural Industry Summit February 3-5, 2025
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced it will host its inaugural Optimal Blue Summit from February 3-5, 2025, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. Set against the scenic backdrop of San Diego Bay, the Optimal Blue Summit 2025 will bring together clients from across primary and secondary mortgage networks to connect, learn, and share best practices for pricing and profitability.
News: July Refinance Activity Hits Highest Levels Since September 2022
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its July 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which revealed that mortgage refinance demand surged to levels not seen since September 2022 amid softening interest rates. The lower interest rates seen in July also coaxed increased purchase activity, which, combined with greater refi activity, drove a 3.5% month-over-month (MoM) increase in mortgage rate lock volumes.
News: Optimal Blue Launches New Generative AI Assistant Capabilities
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced the delivery of generative AI capabilities centered on helping lenders maximize profitability on every loan transaction. Through direct engagement with its thousands of clients, the company has begun delivering generative AI capabilities built for secondary-market-specific use cases and purposefully designed to solve the real-world challenges that mortgage lenders face.
News: Falling Home Prices and Purchase Mortgage Locks Reveal a Stagnant Late-Spring Housing Market
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its June 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which revealed a stagnant late-spring housing market as home prices dropped for the first time in 2024 and purchase lock counts fell 8% over the previous year. All mortgage lock figures in this news release have been controlled for fewer market days in June.
News: Optimal Blue Launches Competitive Data License to Help Lenders Optimize Margins With Competitive Loan Pricing Data
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue announced the release of Competitive Data License, a collection of key national mortgage pricing data that enables lenders to price products competitively, operate more profitably, and react swiftly to changing market conditions. Competitive Data License draws upon direct-source loan data from the Optimal Blue PPE, which is used to price and lock over 35% of loans in the United States.
News: Mortgage Interest Rate Sensitivity Triggers 25% Spike in May Rate-and-Term Refinance Activity
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its May 2024 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which revealed a 25.6% month-over-month (MoM) spike in rate-and-term mortgage refinances. The spike was a response to a modest drop in the Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (OBMMI) 30-year conforming rate, which ended the month at 7.02%.
News: Optimal Blue Names Joe Tyrrell Chief Executive Officer
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced the appointment of Joe Tyrrell as CEO. Tyrrell succeeds interim CEO Scott Smith of Optimal Blue's parent company, Constellation Software Inc. Tyrrell brings over 25 years of experience in the mortgage, finance, and technology industries to Optimal Blue.
News: Optimal Blue Announces ‘Optimize Your Advantage’ to Showcase How Its Capital Markets Platform Puts Lenders in Control of Their Margins
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue announced the launch of its Optimize Your Advantage campaign in advance of the MBA Secondary and Capital Markets Conference. This comprehensive brand initiative highlights the value and innovation the company delivers to clients. Through Optimal Blue's position as the housing industry's only end-to-end capital markets platform, lenders and other market participants have greater control of their profit margins, giving them distinct advantages, regardless of market conditions.
News: Mortgage Purchase Lock Counts See First YoY Gain Since Fed Rate Hikes Began Two Years Ago
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today released its April 2024 Originations Market Monitor report, which reveals the first year-over-year increase in purchase mortgage lock counts since the Federal Reserve initiated rate hikes in March 2022.
News: Optimal Blue Director of Data Solutions Brennan O’Connell Named a 2024 HousingWire Rising Star
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced that Brennan O'Connell, director of data solutions, has been honored with the 2024 HousingWire Rising Stars award. The award program celebrates emerging leaders in real estate and mortgage who have demonstrated rapid career growth and an ability to lead, achieving remarkable milestones before the age of 40.
News: Optimal Blue Announces Promotion of Rick Allen to Chief Operating Officer
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue today announced that it has elevated Rick Allen to chief operating officer (COO). Most recently serving as Optimal Blue's chief administrative officer, Allen brings more than 35 years of experience in the housing industry to his senior leadership role. Throughout his tenure at Optimal Blue, Allen has played an integral role in the enhancement and delivery of products to add exceptional value to the company's clients.
News: Average Homebuyer Credit Score Hits the Highest Mark in Years
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue released its March 2024 Originations Market Monitor report, which reveals the average homebuyer credit score has reached 737 - an all-time high since the company began tracking this data in January 2018. Despite the potential buyer pool being somewhat limited to borrowers with higher credit, rate lock volume showed steady month-over-month growth of 17% in March as the spring buying season got underway.
News: Mortgage Industry Veteran Sara Holtz Joins Optimal Blue as Chief Marketing Officer
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Optimal Blue announced today that it has appointed Sara Holtz as chief marketing officer. As a seasoned marketing and communications leader, Holtz brings more than 20 years of career experience, including a decade of driving change in the mortgage industry. As chief marketing officer, Holtz will drive unified marketing and communications strategies to advance Optimal Blue's business priorities and further extend the company's influence.
News: Spring Buying Season Kicks Off With an Uptick in Purchase Applications Despite Climbing Interest Rates
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue released its February 2024 Originations Market Monitor report, which reveals that the spring homebuying season has kicked off with a jump in monthly purchase mortgage locks. The seasonal spike in purchase locks propelled a net increase in origination activity, even as higher interest rates led to steep declines in mortgage refinances.
News: Optimal Blue’s Mike Schommer Honored as a 2024 HousingWire Finance Leader
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue announced its vice president of finance, Mike Schommer, has been honored as a 2024 HousingWire Finance Leader. The award program celebrates senior finance executives who have exhibited exceptional leadership in corporate finance, capital markets, and accounting within the mortgage and real estate sectors.
News: Optimal Blue Originations Market Monitor: Lock Volume Rises 36% Month Over Month in January, Falling Rates and Slowing Decline in...
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue announced the release of its Originations Market Monitor report, looking at mortgage origination data through January month-end. Leveraging daily rate lock data from the Optimal Blue PPE - the industry's most widely used product, pricing, and eligibility engine - the Originations Market Monitor provides a comprehensive and timely view into origination activity.
News: Optimal Blue Clinches 2024 HousingWire Tech100 Mortgage Award
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue announced its selection by HousingWire as a Tech100 Mortgage award winner. Now in its 12th year, HousingWire's Tech100 award program spotlights the most innovative and impactful tech organizations in housing.
News: Optimal Blue PPE Now Available in Native Mobile App for Android and iOS, Gives Loan Officers ‘Pricing in Their Pocket’...
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue announced releases related to its publicly listed, native mobile app for the Optimal Blue PPE - the industry's most widely used product, pricing, and eligibility engine. The releases consist of a new mobile app for Android, as well as enhancements to the company's mobile offering for iOS.
News: Optimal Blue Originations Market Monitor: December Brought Significant Growth in Rate/Term Refinance Volume as Falling Rates Created Favorable Tailwinds
Mortgage and Finance News: (PLANO, Texas) Today, Optimal Blue announced the release of its Originations Market Monitor report, looking at mortgage origination data through December month-end. Leveraging daily rate lock data from the Optimal Blue PPE - the industry's most widely used product, pricing, and eligibility engine - the Originations Market Monitor provides a comprehensive and timely view into origination activity.