Christy Soukhamneut on joining Stockton Mortgage as chief strategy and innovation officer

Stockton Mortgage recently announced that it has appointed Christy Soukhamneut as its new chief strategy and innovation officer. Soukhamneut brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience across independent mortgage banks, banks and credit unions — including prior roles with University

Bank regulators issue guidance on credit risk for unauthorized workers

Federal banking regulators on Monday issued guidance to remind financial institutions of their existing obligations for managing credit risk when lending to borrowers who are not legally authorized to work in the U.S. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Deposit Insurance

Cornerstone Capital Bank expands retail mortgage presence by adding Daryl Wizelman Team

Cornerstone Capital Bank and its mortgage lending division, Cornerstone Home Lending, have added veteran mortgage executive Daryl Wizelman and The Wizelman Team, expanding the lender’s retail mortgage operations. Wizelman joins Cornerstone after more than 35 years in mortgage banking and financial s

Ground leases taking root in affordable housing deals as costs rise

Ground leases are reshaping how affordable housing developers finance projects amid scarce capital and rising construction costs. Two recent deals show the trend taking hold in expensive, reform-minded markets. In Santa Cruz County, The Pacific Companies, an affordable housing developer in the West,

The brokerage blueprint is changing. Keller Williams just proved it with the JMG acquisition

Keller Williams made waves on Monday when it announced its acquisition agreement with the Jason Mitchell Group (JMG). And while this is big news for the real estate brokerage franchisor, Steve Murray, the co-founder of RealTrends Consulting sees this as an even bigger deal for real estate companies

Taylor Morrison appoints Jeremy Hampson as Jacksonville division president

Taylor Morrison has appointed Jeremy Hampson as president of its Jacksonville division, adding a nearly 15-year homebuilding veteran as the division pursues strategic growth. Hampson joins Taylor Morrison from Freehold Capital Management, where he served as division president of Florida. He previous

Workflow Before Technology: Why mortgage transformation starts with governance, not AI

Mortgage lenders continue to invest in AI, automation and digital transformation despite ongoing cost pressures. Yet many organizations still struggle to achieve the returns they expected. Larry Bailey, CEO of Mortgage Workflow Partners, said the problem isn’t the technology itself. It’s that lender

Higher home-care spending by states linked to greater aging-in-place outcomes

Older adults with difficulty living independently are more likely to remain in their homes when states devote a larger share of long-term care spending to home- and community-based services, according to a new study. Researchers examined whether state investments in home- and community-based service

Art Falcone on launching AmeriCraft Homes and building hospitality-driven communities

Art Falcone — a prominent real estate developer with more than 40 years of experience in developing single-family, multifamily, hospitality, mixed-use and retail properties — recently launched a new homebuilding venture, AmeriCraft Homes.  Falcone’s decision to launch a new homebuilding company duri

Can mortgage rates survive hawkish Fed talk during inflation week?

It’s inflation week and the continuation of the Iran conflict has complicated how the 10-year yield and mortgage rates may react to the inflation data. Even though oil prices have fallen sharply, many Fed hawks haven’t said anything positive about that change. In fact, some have even gotten more haw

Kogevinas Group joins Sotheby’s International Realty in Montecito

The Kogevinas Group has left Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices to join Sotheby’s International Realty – Montecito Brokerage, according to an announcement on Monday. Led by Nancy Kogevinas, the seven-member team was recognized as the No. 36 small team in the nation and the No. 13 small team in Californ

Real Brokerage and REMAX set Aug 14 merger votes

Shareholders at both The Real Brokerage and REMAX will convene virtually on August 14 to vote on the proposed merger between the two firms, creating the Real REMAX Group. According to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission late last week, Real’s shareholders will vote on the arr

NAR guidance clarifies office exclusive listings, MLS rules

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released updated guidance last week clarifying how office-exclusive listings and pre-marketing options must operate within multiple listing services, reinforcing brokers’ duties to follow local MLS rules and the Clear Cooperation Policy. The resource, title

What the ROAD to Housing Act means for agents, homebuyers

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is now the law of the land after President Donald Trump allowed a constitutional deadline to pass without signing or vetoing the bipartisan legislation. Legislation — widely regarded as the most comprehensive federal housing package in decades — cleared the Senat

FHFA moves to drop ‘reputational harm’ from consideration in counterparty suspensions

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) wants to drop “reputational harm” as a basis for suspending firms and individuals that do business with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In a notice of proposed rulemaking published Monday in the Federal Register, the agency said remo

BTIG: Higher rates to hit Q2 originations as nonbanks lean on MSR gains 

Higher mortgage rates will weigh on second-quarter originations and third-quarter guidance for nonbank lenders, even as slower prepayments bolster servicing income, BTIG analysts said in a report issued Monday. Earnings season will start on Tuesday with Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase, giving investo

Why flexible private capital is becoming a builder growth strategy

Homebuilders are navigating a market where slower absorption, elevated costs and shifting buyer demand are testing even the most experienced operators. In that environment, capital is more than a funding source. It influences liquidity, production pace and long-term growth. For regional and mid-size

Iran conflict lifts mortgage rates, but housing demand stays positive

Last week saw an escalation of the Iran conflict, with missile strikes and rising mortgage rates as a result, but housing demand still held firm and inventory was only down a smidge year over year. We should be mindful that our data was hit by the 4th of July weekend, but even with that, demand was

Trump didn’t sign it, but the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is now law

After months of deliberation, delays and drama, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act has finally crossed the finish line.  The legislation, aimed at cutting red tape and making homeownership more attainable, is now the law of the land after President Donald Trump declined to sign or veto the bill be

Century 21 COO says M&A activity fueled by growing tech demands

Century 21 is riding a wave of franchise acquisitions and merger activity — a trend Chief Operating Officer Greg Sexton says is driven by the escalating demands of real estate technology. Sexton, who has spent more than two decades with the company, said the aggressive push into mergers and acquisit