AI's capabilities far exceed how the technology is being used in mortgage, but an all-in strategy will quickly put companies ahead of the pack, leaders say.

National home prices grew monthly and annually in October, but considerably less than last year, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

New Jersey-based OceanFirst Financial slid in its planned $579 million acquisition of Flushing Financial just before the end of the year. The private equity firm Warburg Pincus is also participating in the transaction.

The latest announcement comes two months after an initial round of staff reductions following approval of Rocket's acquisition of the company.

Here are the most-read stories from National Mortgage News over the past year.

National Mortgage News takes a look back at some of the major or unique transactions which went on, or in some cases didn't happen, in the past 12 months.

Home prices rose 0.2% nationally month-over-month in November, but there were an estimated 37.2% more sellers than buyers in the market, Redfin said.

The MBA's Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, dropped 5% on a seasonally-adjusted basis and 6% on an unadjusted basis.

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

The national mortgage delinquency rate jumped to 3.85% in November, up 15% month over month and 2.79% year over year, according to ICE Mortgage Technology.

A California judge dismissed 13 claims against United Wholesale Mortgage that alleged the lender disclosed personal information to third parties.

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended approval of Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed acquisition of Comerica.

The Massachusetts Democrat requested to see records related to second liens that banks were required to expunge per terms of the 2012 mortgage settlement.

More than 80% of mortgage brokers expect business to grow in 2026, mainly through the strengthening of referral networks and the expansion of non-QM offerings.

The Dallas bank turned down another offer because it thought it could get a higher price from Fifth Third, and also could ink an agreement faster, according to Comerica's latest regulatory filing.

The bill's signing comes weeks after one of the most notorious NTRAP providers agreed to legal settlements in two states, nullifying existing contracts.

The deal significantly grows United Wholesale Mortgage's servicing portfolio, and it will increase the float on its common stock, making it more investable.

The trade group's letter to FHFA Director Bill Pulte pointed out that lenders were facing credit report price hikes for four straight years.

Remote work helped fuel migration and erased the loss of rural residents that occurred in the decade prior to the arrival of Covid, Harvard researchers found.

The partnership also includes a $50 million equity investment in Finance of America, securing long-term alignment between the companies.