Loan Think

Mortgage servicing has a reputation for being cold and impersonal, but companies have the opportunity to put more of a personal touch on their interactions with borrowers by analyzing the wealth of data available to them.

Teardowns — in which builders or private individuals purchase an aging, outmoded house, then demolish it and replace it with a modern home that will suit today's homeowners — are currently on a tear.

A lawsuit brought by the City of Miami has the potential to determine the reach of legal actions brought against lenders under the Fair Housing Act.

Regulators sought to limit improper contact between lenders and appraisers, but policies of the two mortgage giants encourage the kind of practices that contributed to the housing crisis.

The recent White House fintech summit was helpful in exposing companies to regulators, and vice versa, but we need to strengthen the lines of communications even more.

Mergers and acquisitions are important, but simply buying out the competition is no longer the road to success.

The promise of digital verification, beyond process improvements and time savings for lenders, is the ability to help both consumer and lender drive to the right outcome more quickly, with greater transparency and predictability along the way.

Banks frequently blame "the rules" in shunning partnerships with fintech startups. However, compliance can be a positive force, not something that inhibits growth.

Although the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau doesn't mandate doing so, lenders' best chance to stay compliant with future data initiatives and regulatory changes is to implement standards set by the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization.

Good intentions won't lower costs, improve workflow or maintain compliance. Decision-makers need to put their money where their mouths are when it comes to implementing technology to keep costs down, improving workflow and maintaining compliance.