Underwriting

Since its inception, the qualified mortgage rule has been synonymous with loans purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or guaranteed by government agencies. But a broader QM definition could change that by creating more competitive private-label options.

Black Knight has acquired HeavyWater, a developer of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology for the mortgage industry, and plans to incorporate the startup's borrower data verification and other automation capabilities into its existing product suite.

Anticipated changes to the qualified mortgage rule will give lenders more options and force them to rethink their views on risk.

Commercial mortgage bonds are getting stuffed with the lowest-quality loans since the financial crisis by one measure, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Movement Mortgage is laying off 100 employees nationwide as the lender founded by a former Carolina Panthers player braces for an industry slowdown.

Overcapacity in the mortgage industry led to more competitive pricing in the first quarter, said Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan.

The value of commercial-property deals rose 6.7% in the first quarter from a year earlier, but higher interest rates and softer demand will weigh on the market, Ten-X Commercial said.

The ability-to-repay standard is responsible for the reduction in loan application defects over the past four-plus years, according to First American Financial.

Although mortgage default risk remains very low, it was the only category of consumer lending to experience increases both sequentially and year-to-year in VantageScore's latest update to its index.

Mortgage rates continued their climb this week, jumping 5 basis points to their highest level since May 2011, according to Freddie Mac.