MARKETING TO BORROWERS

United Wholesale Mortgage, which was sued twice in December for alleged violations, put the blame for some text messages on an independent mortgage broker.

After the announcement last fall, Embrace added local staff and increased marketing nad outreach in New Jersey to assist potential Oceanfirst borrowers.

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage increased 3 basis points this past week, off of a three-year low point, but are nearly a percentage point lower than a year ago.

The company reported net income of $5.6 million in 2025, up 61.9% from the year prior, while mortgage banking revenue decreased by $120,000, or 39.5%.

This week the conforming 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell 10 basis points, with Optimal Blue data showing it broke through, at least briefly, the 6% level.

United Wholesale Mortgage sees this branding partnership as an opportunity to recruit workers in its home market in the Detroit area, CMO Sarah DeCiantis said.

The bank did $16 billion of originations during the final three months of 2025, with the quarter-to-quarter increase beating industry-wide growth forecasts.

The 30-year fixed remains in its current range, but most expect the rate to reach 6% for 2026, and one observer feels it could actually break under this point.

The company was founded in 1986 by current CEO Mat Ishbia's father Jeff and became the No. 1 originator by dollar volume in the third quarter of 2022.

Although some of the cohort surveyed were flush with savings, others admitted having precarious debt situations and steadfast attitudes toward luxury purchases.

After piercing the 7% ceiling in January, the 30-year fixed trended lower the rest of the year, dropping 89 basis points from peak to trough, Freddie Mac found.

This year it took a homebuyer seven years to save for a typical down payment on a house, compared with 12, according to Realtor.com.

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage dropped 3 basis points this week, its lowest level since October and just over its 52-week bottom, Freddie Mac reported.

The announcement follows Realpha's two previous mergers with mortgage brokerages, as well as its purchases of AI firms and title businesses.

AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping mortgage marketing, forcing lenders to rethink SEO, brand authority and how they show up as consumers turn to generative search for answers.

The inventory slowdown came as properties sold for 1.6% below asking prices, with some sellers opting to remove their listings altogether, according to Redfin.

Approximately 70% of home purchasers do not get more than one quote in the mortgage process, doing so could reduce their rate by 50 basis points, Zillow said.

The investor markets already set mortgage rates to include the 25 basis point reduction the FOMC announced, and it is too early to see the longer-term effect.

Forty percent of Americans planning to buy or sell a home in 2026 worry about a potential market crash, according to a new report from Clever Offers.

A recent Remax survey found 88% of respondents said they are "very" or "somewhat likely" to purchase a home next year.