Younger mortgage tech software developers reveal new efficiencies they're creating for lenders.

The Mortgage Bankers Association forecast comes as bankers continue keeping an eye on their commercial real estate portfolios, including office buildings. The MBA also noted that many companies have long-term leases on their offices, likely making the hit more gradual.

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey criticized the degree of "opacity" surrounding some community benefit agreements, or written deals between banks and community groups ahead of a merger that often involve billions of dollars of commitments.

Frustrations with gatekeeping, a lack of diversity and the way home appraisal is overseen are spurring many practitioners to call for an overhaul of the industry's governance structure.

Higher mortgage rates have led to a sharp slowdown in cash-out refinances. Second mortgages were up nearly 50% in the first five months of the year as homeowners looked for new ways to borrow against their equity.

The application process was regarded more positively, which suggests originators have been successful at improving in this area.

BofA has launched two programs, one focused on increasing homeownership for Black and Hispanic Americans, and the other on small businesses owned by women and minorities that buy commercial real estate in federal opportunity zones.

With Mortgage Bankers Association numbers showing just 57% were profitable in the second quarter, companies have tough decisions to make, but they have options that will help many stay the course.

Traditional metrics provide limited insight as to whether a portfolio is on its way to reperformance, so instead of tracking things like calls per employee, measure the number of homeowners helped.

A data breach in 2022 costs companies $4.35 million on average, an all-time high according to IBM research.

Both bank and nonbanks are starting in — or returning to — this segment as they look to make up for declining originations. But there are a few key issues to consider before taking on the new line of business.

Advances by Federal Home Loan banks hit a 15-year low last year, but commercial banks and other financial institutions are clamoring for more as loan demand has increased and deposits have ebbed. How long will the trend continue?

Speaking with the consumer regarding the proper amount and type of insurance needed is the best way for lenders and servicers to mitigate the likelihood of default.

To meet the growing demand, banks are faced with a choice of hiring, reskilling or outsourcing.

While commercial investors have begun to recognize the importance of anticipating extreme weather events in their business strategies, companies involved in residential transactions lag behind.

Farmers Bank plans to develop new revenue from home loans, despite seeing many bigger lenders flee the same market.

About 64% of borrowers would like loans to be closed in three weeks, according to Arizent research.

NMN rounds up the latest technology launches and partnerships between fintechs and lenders.