Underwriting

February was the second consecutive month where lenders eased underwriting, although overall availability remains near record low levels, the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Argyle, which helps lenders verify income and employment data, completed a $30 million funding round led by a Rockefeller Capital Management innovation fund, bringing its funding since the firm's formation to more than $100 million.

Cardinal Financial's utilization of the FICO alternative credit metric could help pave the way for broader use as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac move to adopt it.

Gate House Compliance is working with experts like Michael Waldron and Paul Hancock to provide services like fair lending and servicing assessments.

One depository has now joined two nonbanks in publicly announcing they're using the advanced score ahead of planned broader implementation by the agency market.

January volume increased 36% compared to the month before and the annual decline in activity was the lowest in almost two years, Optimal Blue said.

Institutions obtaining financing from the FHLB that's secured by their mortgages can now use the advanced score to underwrite collateral loans.

A look at Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data of similarly situated conforming applicants also finds some lenders' own comments for the rejection doesn't match up with the reason given, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis said.

The company, and Rocket, had been targets of United Wholesale Mortgage's All-In campaign, which punished independent brokers who did business with the UWM rivals.

In the wake of the Surfside condo collapse, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae instituted stricter rules regarding the soundness of this crucial form of housing stock as it ages. In response to complaints about a lack of clarity on buildings deemed unfit for financing, the GSE unveiled plans to improve transparency for both homeowners associations and lenders.