Professional development

Phyllis Caldwell has put a priority on ensuring the company's board and workforce look more like the borrowers whose mortgages it services.

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 46.9% of total applications, its lowest level since June 2009, from 47.9% the previous week.

Despite claims that digitizing the mortgage process will require less human capital, consumer desires for people on the other end of the phone or computer will keep mortgage loan officers in demand for the foreseeable future.

Some single-family lenders are ideally trying to move purchase loans from application to funding within 21 days at a time when average timeline is twice as long. Here's why.

Some of the most popular contributors to National Mortgage News' Voices community weigh in on what they see coming in the next year for origination, servicing, technology and regulation.

Opes Advisors shows would-be borrowers how purchasing a house fits into their total financial picture, now and years into the future. Many of its loan officers are licensed investment advisors.

The rise of digital mortgages and increasing lender consolidation are just two reasons mortgage brokers should make the transition to mortgage banking sooner rather than later.

Lenders have the most consumer-facing role in the mortgage industry. By adopting three cultural adjustments, they can introduce more diversity into the workforce and create sustainable businesses and stronger communities.

After nearly eight years of record-low mortgage rates and booming refinance volume, many signs indicate the run is winding down. Here's a look at 10 steps lenders should take now to stay profitable when rates rise and purchase loans drive the market.

The Internal Revenue Service's indefinite delay of a deadline for a new authentication procedure has headed off concerns about potential interruptions in mortgage production.

Lenders and servicers haven't faced the same scrutiny over data security as their peers in retail and other financial services sectors. But mortgage companies must remain vigilant, as the extensive data they collect can expose consumers to identity theft if it got in the wrong hands.

By decreasing costs through technology, outsourcing and scale, servicers not only can give their margins a much-needed boost, but also set themselves up to reap rewards in the future.

While compliance costs continue to increase for lenders, the rising age of company owners is what's prompting many independent mortgage bankers to sell their companies.

Shifting demographics are leading to a rise in the number of millennials and minorities, but homeownership rates among these groups remain depressed. One contributing factor is the lack of mortgage industry hiring and marketing focused on these demographics.

New American Funding and Alterra Home Loans have selected Radian Group as the preferred private mortgage insurance providers for their Your Path loan program.

Cybersecurity precautions often focus on preventing a data breach. But what if those precautions aren't enough? Here's a look at steps lenders and servicers can take now to prepare their response in the event of a catastrophic data breach.

Converting millennials from renters to homeowners is proving difficult, but here are steps lenders can take to get this generation on board with buying.

Two decades of experience with offshoring has shown that shifting operations work from knowledgeable, local workers to people in another country with oftentimes limited training comes with risks — of errors, of misunderstandings and of security lapses.

Restoring consumer confidence in financial services won't be easy after the latest banking brouhaha, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help by proactively holding all mortgage loan officers to the same federal licensing standard.

The National Association of Realtors has partnered with VA Loan Captain to create a platform designed to help its members better serve the needs of military and veteran homebuyers and sellers.