Finance
FirstClose Caps Transformational 2025 With Faster Closings, Platform Expansion and Strong Market Momentum
AUSTIN, Texas — FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced 2025 results showing faster closings and measurable efficiency gains as lenders used its technology to meet rising home equity demand in a high-interest-rate environment. The company reduced closing timelines, expanded key integrations and strengthened its operating foundation to support scalable growth in 2026….
Legacy Wealth Advisors has once again been named to the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list for 2026
WARRENVILLE, Ill. — Raymond James Financial Services is proud to announce that Legacy Wealth Advisors has once again been named to the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list for 2026, marking four consecutive years of recognition in this prestigious national ranking. Legacy Wealth Advisors is known for its collaborative approach, ensuring clients benefit from the collective expertise of the entire team….
ACES Quality Management Grows Audit Volume and Market Share, Advances AI Innovation and Industry Leadership in 2025
DENVER, Colo. — ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, continued to support its customers through a challenging mortgage market in 2025 by sustaining audit scale, advancing AI-driven quality control innovation and delivering trusted regulatory and defect trend insight….
Optimal Blue report: December lock volume closes 2025 on a firm footing
PLANO, Texas — Optimal Blue today released its December 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, showing that mortgage rate-lock activity ended the year on a firm footing, bucking typical holiday-driven seasonality. Total lock volume rose 2% month over month (MoM) from November and finished 30% higher year over year (YoY), driven primarily by rate-and-term refinances, which climbed 13% from November and more than 170% compared with December 2024….
Friday Harbor adds Fannie Mae’s Income Calculator to its AI Originator Assistant
SEATTLE, Wash. — Friday Harbor, an AI-powered platform that helps loan officers assemble complete and compliant loan files in real time, today announced the integration of its AI Originator Assistant with Fannie Mae’s Income Calculator. The new connection enables lenders to instantly calculate qualifying income for borrowers with self-employment or rental income and gain enforcement relief from representations and warranties on the income calculation for conventional loans….
Dovenmuehle receives ISO/IEC 27001 certification, reinforcing commitment to data security and operational excellence
LAKE ZURICH, Ill. — Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc. (DMI), a leading mortgage subservicing company, announced today that it has received the ISO/IEC 27001 certification from NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR), an NSF company. ISO/IEC 27001 defines global benchmarks for information security management systems (ISMS)….
The Big Picture opens 2026 with conversations on compliance, leadership and new paths to homeownership
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, announced a January slate of guests offering timely perspectives on how to navigate the regulatory landscape ahead, scale mortgage production while developing the next generation of originators, execute with discipline in volatile markets and expand access to homeownership in new ways….
The Mortgage Collaborative Appoints Rich Swerbinsky as Strategic Advisor to CEO & President; Names Heidi Belnay Senior Advisor for Business Development
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s only independent, wholly-owned mortgage lending cooperative, today announced the appointment of Rich Swerbinsky as Strategic Advisor to the CEO & President and Heidi Belnay as Senior Advisor for Business Development. These strategic additions to the leadership team position TMC for accelerated growth and continued industry impact in 2026 and beyond….
IRS Solutions Completes SOC 2® Examination
VALENCIA, Calif. — IRS Solutions® announces today that it has completed the SOC 2® examination. As tax professionals face growing security expectations, technology providers must prove accountability and consistency in how they handle data. A recently completed SOC 2® examination provides independent validation that IRS Solutions systems maintain secure, reliable, and confidential operations….
TMC to host inaugural ACT Technology Summit focused on mortgage technology and AI
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s leading independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, today announced it will host the inaugural ACT Technology Summit, short for Accelerator and Collaborative Transformation, a two-day standalone mortgage technology competition and showcase Aug. 12-13 at The Highlands Hotel in Dallas….