NEXA Mortgage rebrands to NEXA Lending, but it’s not a pivot to retail

Mike Kortas wanted to be clear as he announced the company’s rebrand from the stage at NEXA Fest 2025: the company is not going into retail. The name change — from NEXA Mortgage to NEXA Lending — could seem like the prelude to lending in a new channel, but Kortas said it was actually a sign that NE

Alabama’s housing market reveals a growing affordability divide

Alabama’s housing market is splitting. Lower-priced homes are selling briskly, while higher-end listings linger, according to the latest HW Data. Affordable homes fuel pending sales Alabama’s entry-level homes are moving quickly. The state recorded 1,843 pending sales in its most affordable t

FICO’s new program draws mixed reviews from mortgage market

Fair Isaac Corp.’s (FICO) decision to let resellers calculate and distribute its scores directly to lenders drew a mixed response from the mortgage industry — viewed by some as a step toward more competition, but by others as a potential driver of higher credit score costs in the short term. On

Real estate agent optimism holds steady, but AI adoption slow

Kaplan Real Estate Education has released its first Real Estate Survey of Trends — highlighting both optimism about client growth and concerns over technology adoption in the industry. Nearly half of survey respondents (48%) expect to grow their client base in the next six to 12 months, with ano

West Capital Lending partners with Mortgage Connections

West Capital Lending said on Thursday that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Mortgage Connections, a Michigan-based mortgage brokerage. Mortgage Connections, founded by Ali Younes & Joe Dakroub Esq., has closed more than 843 transactions and $239 million in funded loan volume over

Compass’ acquisition strategy faces new tests after Anywhere deal

When Compass began acquiring brokerages across the country a decade ago, the goal was clear; rapid expansion in key markets. It was the second phase of Compass’s plan to expand after offering agent sign-on bonuses and incentives that brought them quick growth. The company — now the largest resid

From rates to reality: why innovative homeownership alternatives matter now

For generations, the American Dream was synonymous with homeownership — a white picket fence, a backyard and the pride of owning a place to call your own. But today, that dream is undergoing a quiet transformation. With the national median home price now exceeding $426,000, according to NAR, the go

HomeSmart names Stacey Onnen president

HomeSmart has announced its appointment of Stacey Onnen as president. Onnen has more than 20 years of experience in real estate — most recently working in the legal technology sector and previously leading a national initiative at Keller Williams. She also served as president of operations

Government shutdown halts new reverse mortgage endorsements

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) said Wednesday it will continue processing claims during the government shutdown but cannot endorse new Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) until funding is restored. That information was confirmed by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (N

The Steven Cohen Team returns to Corcoran Group

After five years at Douglas Elliman, Steven Cohen and his team are returning to Corcoran Group, according to an announcement on Wednesday.  The team will be affiliated with Corcoran’s East Side New York City office and it consists of nine real estate professionals: Scarlett Nawrocki, Stefanie R

California MBA names Paul Gigliotti new CEO as Susan Milazzo retires

The California Mortgage Bankers Association (California MBA) announced a leadership transition on Wednesday, noting the retirement of longtime CEO Susan Milazzo and the appointment of Paul Gigliotti as her successor. Milazzo, who has served the association for two decades, will stay on as a consult

FICO bypasses credit bureaus with new program for mortgage lenders

Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) has launched a program allowing tri-merge resellers to calculate and distribute its scores directly to mortgage companies, effectively bypassing the three nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. The move comes amid intensified competition with Vantag

Fannie and Freddie waive some loan requirements amid shutdown

Government agencies and enterprises issued guidance on Wednesday for mortgage lenders and servicers during the current government shutdown, which affects federal employees, services, contractors, vendors and other businesses. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are waiving some requirements for lenders

Why the FTC is targeting Zillow and Redfin’s rental deal

Despite rumors earlier this year that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was investigating Zillow and Redfin over their $100 million rental syndication deal, the announcement that the FTC was suing the two companies still carried an element of surprise. “This shows that the Federal government is

Title insurance premiums rise to $4.5B in Q2

Title insurers generated $4.5 billion in premiums during the second quarter of 2025, up from $4.1 billion a year earlier, according to the American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) latest Market Share Analysis. “The title insurance industry continues to demonstrate resilience and reliability, ev

CrossCountry seeks dismissal in kickback suit

CrossCountry Mortgage has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the lender engaged in an illegal kickback arrangement with a Raleigh real estate firm. Homebuyer Jeremiah VonBlohn, who filed suit at the end of July, claims his agent at Raleigh Realty directed him to CrossCountry in

Radius launches AI assistant to streamline brokerage operations

Radius — a brokerage platform for real estate teams — has launched Mel AI, a built-in artificial intelligence (AI) assistant designed to support tasks across marketing, lead management, transaction oversight and compliance. Mel AI is integrated throughout the Radius platform, which provides tool

Kimber White named NAMB board president

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) announced on Wednesday the start of Kimber White’s presidency for the organization. White has served in several roles with NAMB over the past 15 years, including as board president from 2020–2021 and as a member of the executive board. “I am h

Final Offer launches in Denver, surrounding region

Listing and negotiation platform Final Offer has launched in Denver and Colorado’s Front Range region in partnership with several local brokerages — including RE/MAX Alliance, RE/MAX Professionals, RE/MAX of Cherry Creek and West + Main Homes. Final Offer allows agents to give homesellers more o

Atlas VMS, QuantumReverse enter tech integration partnership

Appraisal technology management firm Atlas VMS announced on Tuesday that it has entered a partnership with QuantumReverse, an LOS provider for reverse mortgages, to integrate the AIM-Port order management platform. The partnership will grant reverse mortgage lenders who use QuantumReverse direc