Guild Mortgage, which ranks 21st among all home lenders, has agreed to purchase Cornerstone Mortgage, St. Louis, marking the first acquisition of 2018, a year in which the rollup of smaller lending shops could be significant.
Wintrust Financial Corp. has announced an agreement to purchase certain assets and assume certain liabilities of iFreedom Direct Corp., which originates VA-backed loans as Veterans First Mortgage.
Guaranteed Rate, long the subject of sale rumors, has agreed to sell a chunk of the company to private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners, fueling speculation that in time the rest of the nonbank might be placed on the auction block.