Mortgage technology

An initiative underway at the government-sponsored enterprises will forever change how lenders and appraisers handle the appraisal process. But the Uniform Mortgage Data Program has faced repeated delays, creating uncertainty in how, and when, this industry paradigm shift will take place.

Originators are getting help through technology for their promotional campaigns.To help them get the most out of their marketing dollars, mortgage originators are being presented with new tools that let them have better information about prospects as well as new ways to reach them.

Mortgage lenders of all sizes are expected to increase their technology spending by 15% this year to $4.11 billion, according to the new MORTECH study.

The debate on regulating how ISPs manage online use has largely been focused on the online activities of consumers, but mortgage executives and their technology vendors believe the regulation of Internet access could affect the daily operations of the lending industry as well, leaving smaller players with fewer financial resources at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to loan processing speed and costs.

The use of "cloud computing" by real estate brokerages is on the rise. With brokers, agents and support staff using cloud services like Gmail and Google Docs, they're also looking to expand that use to consumer-facing applications.

Mortgage Technology Magazine: January 2011M&A — Tech firm investments and acquisitions pick upLOS for Little Guy — Vendors find new customers in small lendersE-Mortgage — New open technology could promote adoptionQuality Control — Q&A with ARMCO CEO Avi Naider

Property valuation technology developer Veros said its VeroSELECT valuation management platform has been updated to interface with the Uniform Collateral Data Portal, the still-pending technology platform the government-sponsored enterprises will use to accept appraisal data on mortgages they purchase.

Credit Union Mortgage Association (CUMA) has closed its first HarmonyLoan, a mortgage that allows consumers to reset their interest rate with the click of a mouse, foregoing additional closing costs and lengthy processing.

Fannie Mae’s latest homeowner outreach program is a website with links to resources and information for borrowers who want to avoid foreclosure.

Chase Bank has donated $100,000 to Hope LoanPort, the nonprofit manager of a Web-based tool housing counselors use to help distressed borrowers apply for mortgage modifications.

After officially announcing late Tuesday that it completed the purchase of the MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates U.S. and U.K. property information business, San Francisco-based private equity group TPG Capital appointed a longtime Wolters Kluwer CEO to run its new acquisition.

Mortgage technology developer Ellie Mae purchased the intellectual property, technology and other assets of Mortgage Pricing Systems, developer of the Loan Eligibility and Pricing, or LEAP, mortgage product and pricing engine.

Mortgage technology developer Ellie Mae purchased the intellectual property, technology and other assets of Mortgage Pricing Systems, developer of the Loan Eligibility and Pricing, or LEAP, mortgage product and pricing engine.

The sale of the MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates U.S. and U.K. property information business to private equity group TPG Capital will close Tuesday, multiple sources confirmed to Mortgage Technology.

Small business owners facing a multitude of challenges both financial and non-financial have to rely on affordable technology that helps increase operational efficiency.Mike Gordon, vice president of the FICO banking industry practice, a provider of decision management solutions expects to see banks intensify their overall growth efforts and improved operational efficiencies. Lender servicers are now facing the need to improve customer relationships and collections’ management in times when unemployment and delinquency rates are at record highs.

MDA Lending Solutions launched a suite of mortgage fraud prevention software based on the recommendations that Fannie Mae gave the industry in the Loan Quality Initiative.

Mark Ernst began his new position as executive vice president and chief operating officer of financial services technology vendor Fiserv Monday.

Once a lender acquires the technology to accept Web-based mortgage applications, putting that technology to widespread use is the next step.Cutting out the step of collecting a paper application saves lenders time and money. Establishing an online channel involves upgrading websites to add the functionality or connecting to an outside provider—typically a website that’s private-labeled with the lender’s logos and integrates with its main website.

Industry vendor Kroll Factual Data, Loveland, Colo., said it has started a new technology-based service aimed at helping clients comply with fair credit reporting risk-based pricing regulations that take effect Jan. 1, 2011.

Online lending aggregator LendingTree said the average rate on its platform for a 30-year mortgage was 5.16% as of Dec. 28, down slightly from a week previous.