Real Estate Broker/Agency News

Mortgage applications increase for second straight week

Borrowers looking to refinance their VA and FHA loans contributed to another uptick in mortgage applications for the week ending Dec. 18, according to the latest report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mortgage applications jumped 0.8% a week after the 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped five basis points to 2.85%, the

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FHFA announces proposed rule on living wills for GSEs

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) took another step in its quest to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship on Tuesday, seeking public comment on a rule that would require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop plans to unwind without negatively affecting the broader financial system. Should

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The mortgage industry is ripe for blockchain in 2021

The next time you apply for a mortgage, or your lender services that loan or sells it on the secondary market, you might be helping to disrupt an industry. That’s because the entire transaction, or at least parts of it, may be powered by blockchain in the not-too-distant future. Robyn

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RON transactions increase 547% in 2020

Adoption of remote online notarization soared 547% in 2020, according to a new survey from the American Land Title Association of major vendors working in the RON space. The increase in adoption is largely due to protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that 29 states have passed

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Housing industry reacts to second stimulus bill

The housing and mortgage industry welcomed yesterday’s announcement of a second round of stimulus payments to citizens, set at $600 per person and potentially arriving as early as next week, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnunchin. But representatives also called on Congress to continue advocating for more federal aid, as

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Movement Mortgage invests $200M into charter school network

Retail lender Movement Mortgage has invested $200 million to expand its nonprofit Movement Foundation, and to accelerate the development of its growing charter school network. The investment will also aide in the development of adjacent affordable housing and health clinics in Central America, the company said in a statement this week.

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Top 5 mortgage terms to know before you buy a house

The mortgage application process can be a confusing one — especially if you’ve never gone through it before. There’s a lot of red tape, a ton of moving parts and, worse yet, dozens of terms and phrases you’ve probably never even heard of. Are you planning to buy a home in

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Title insurance premium volume surges 17.6% in Q3

Mortgage title insurance premiums surged by 17.6% year-over-year in the third quarter this year to $5.1 billion, according to the latest market share analysis from the American Land Title Association. This surge was up substantially even from the 8% increase to $4.18 billion in title insurance premiums seen in the

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Existing home sales end five-month streak increase in November

Existing home sales decreased 2.5% in November, ending the five-month streak of month-over-month gains, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.85 million, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors on Tuesday. Compared to last November, home sales are still up 25.8%. “Home sales in November took

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