Practice and client management

Stop chasing digital leads and invest in face-to-face partnerships that build trust and referrals sustainable growth, writes a leader of Choice Mortgage Group.

The wholesale giant, fully entangled in the legal fight over a six-figure bonus, emphasized it's only the title sponsor of the broker trade group.

United Wholesale Mortgage sees this branding partnership as an opportunity to recruit workers in its home market in the Detroit area, CMO Sarah DeCiantis said.

"These changes reflect adjustments we're making to ensure our staffing levels, locations and expertise align with current business needs; efficiencies we have gained through technology; and progress against our transformation work," the company said in a statement.

The company was founded in 1986 by current CEO Mat Ishbia's father Jeff and became the No. 1 originator by dollar volume in the third quarter of 2022.

The accusations, relating to the lender's marketing programs, including trips for brokers as things of value, stem from a larger racketeering complaint.

The merger of equals, which received a chilly reception from investors when it was announced in July, closed faster than analysts had expected.

Last year highlighted the risks for banks in lending to nondepository financial institutions. A new approach by Trump-era regulators could change the playing field.

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.

Despite certain pronouncements otherwise, rumors of email's demise have been gravely exaggerated, as recent data shows it's not only still around, it's ubiquitous.

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

Overall satisfaction is highest when customers receive status updates from mobile apps, according to the J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Claims Digital Experience Study.

The home purchase market, which competes for consumers with rentals, should remain subdued in 2026 because of high mortgage rates and low affordability.

Approximately 70% of home purchasers do not get more than one quote in the mortgage process, doing so could reduce their rate by 50 basis points, Zillow said.

A senior advisor at NAIC, the association of state insurance regulators, told attendees of its fall meeting that the imminent FEMA Review Council report should answer questions about funding for disaster relief and flood insurance, as well as other related issues.

The all-stock acquisition of Mountain Commerce Bancorp in Knoxville marks the Arkansas-based company's first M&A foray since 2022.

Bank of America was the leader in this study, with Rocket as the only nonbank mortgage lender which got a score higher than the industry average.

Planet Home Lending, helped by growing recapture and distributed retail volume, did 64% more originations in the third quarter than one year prior.

Recent high-profile ethics violations by senior Federal Reserve officials, including new revelations concerning stock trades by former Fed Gov. Adriana Kugler, have sparked debate over the effectiveness of the central bank's oversight, even as some observers stress such cases remain rare.

The credit card will provide borrowers points for making their normal monthly mortgage loan payments and for the purchase of home products and services.