Origination

If lenders can “divert” consumers’ attention at the right moment on their journey and invest in the appropriate places to ensure ROI — placing themselves front and center as the best choice over a competitor’s — they significantly increase their chances of closing a sale, writes the co-founder of Konnecto.

Recent data from several organizations further highlights affordability challenges and souring consumer sentiment, while a growing number of economists think the market has peaked.

Delays in closing the deal after it was announced in August resulted in the parties' decision to remain separate, although they will still work together.

But for prospective buyers, soaring home prices in April pushed affordability closer to the all-time low set in June 2006.

While the appeal of homeownership and larger spaces led property values in many fire-prone regions to surge to new records, those areas are also seeing more frequent price drops, Redfin says.

With half-point interest-rate increases all but certain in June and July, Federal Reserve officials are shifting the focus away from a destination on hikes to something that’s trickier to determine and explain: the broader impact of their policies on the economy.

A Salem, Massachusetts, man was found guilty by a federal jury in Boston of a scheme that led to more than $3.8 million in losses to lenders, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

But several companies have cuts pending, and overall employment remains strong enough to keep putting some upward pressure on rates.

Risky loan applications had been on the rise for more than a year, according to the analytics firm CoreLogic. Now that activity is slowing down, lenders face a higher risk of fraud, and many could be ill-equipped to handle it.

The inventory shortage is beginning to ease, while demand is slowing due to high prices and rising mortgage rates.