Is there a future for “marketplace” lenders in mortgage banking? Opinions can differ…

Caliber Home Loans recently loosened the standards for one of its non-qualified mortgage products. The lender’s “Fresh Start” mortgage now allows loan-to-value ratios up to 85.0 percent, up from 80.0 percent. And private mortgage insurance isn’t...[Includes five briefs]

SoFi, also known as a “peer-to-peer” lender, said it admires Fannie Mae’s “commitment to technological innovation in mortgages…”

Sometimes when a subservicer – especially a publicly traded one – snags a new client, the company publicizes the event...

The New York State Supreme Court recently reversed a ruling in a foreclosure case, providing a favorable decision for lenders and servicers. New York Community Bank v. Daphne McClendon involved a foreclosure that was initiated in 2012. The mortgage in question was originated in 2008 by AmTrust Bank for $544,000. The note accompanying the mortgage was signed by electronic signature. The borrower challenged...

Here's a product idea: hit a button on your cell phone and get foreclosed on...

The transformation of the mortgage is continuing apace, as technology vendor Cloudvirga has brought to market its new intelligent Mortgage Platform (iMP), which it bills as the industry’s “first comprehensive digital mortgage platform, effectively alleviating the pain points, cost and time associated with the mortgage process.” The new platform combines three emerging trends in technology: cloud storage and security, digitization of images to useable data, and ...

Real estate agents find realty websites more useful in generating homebuyer leads than websites operated by mortgage lenders, according to the results of a new survey conducted by Campbell Surveys and sponsored by Inside Mortgage Finance. “Real estate information available online is causing a fundamental shift in lead sources for homebuyer agents,” said Tom Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys. “Real estate agents prefer online home-buying platforms over mortgage lenders for homebuyer leads.” An agent’s “sphere of influence/personal reputation” remains...

The call-center business model used by Quicken Loans won praise from real estate agents who often prefer to deal with a local loan officer, according to the results of a new survey by Campbell Surveys and sponsored by Inside Mortgage Finance. “It is clear that agents like Quicken for loan programs, lead time on closing dates, policy on providing closing status to agents and performance on meeting closing dates,” said Tom Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys. He said...

CSS, a joint venture of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is hiring at its main site in Bethesda, MD, as well as its office in Pasadena, CA.