Mortgage
Optimal Blue report: Purchase demand lifts mortgage lock activity as rates rise
PLANO, Texas — Optimal Blue today released its March 2026 Market Advantage mortgage data report, reflecting resilient mortgage activity as purchase demand strengthened despite higher rates. Total rate-lock volume rose 13% month over month (MoM) and 26% year over year (YoY). Purchase activity led the month, with purchase lock volume up 38% from February and 20% from March 2025. Cash-out refinance volume increased 9% MoM and 21% YoY, while rate-and-term refinance volume declined 34% from February but remained more than 66% higher YoY….
The Mortgage Collaborative expands national conference presence, invites lenders to connect during spring events
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, will engage with members and industry partners across a series of key mortgage conferences and events nationwide throughout the second quarter….
Vice Capital Markets Announces Support for New Fannie Mae Specified-Cash Payup Commitment Grids
NOVI, Mich. — Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, announced today that it now supports new 30-year fixed-rate specified-cash payup commitment grids from Fannie Mae, which became effective April 9, 2026….
Click n’ Close names Delores Lopez as chief operating officer
ADDISON, Texas — Click n’ Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced the appointment of Delores Lopez as chief operating officer, effective April 6. In this role, Lopez will lead operations, drive scalable growth initiatives and implement operational strategy across the organization, reporting to Ian Kimball, president….
Vice Capital Markets Now Supports New Freddie Mac Cash-Specified Payup Types for 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgages
NOVI, Mich. — Vice Capital Markets, a leading mortgage hedge advisory firm for independent lenders, banks and credit unions, announced today that two new Freddie Mac Cash-Specified Payup Types (CSPTs) for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are now available through Vice Capital for both mandatory and best-efforts executions. The new payup types became effective in production on April 6, 2026….
Kitsap Credit Union selects FirstClose’s home equity lending platform
AUSTIN, Texas — FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that Kitsap Credit Union has selected FirstClose to support its home equity lending operations with a bundled, end-to-end digital tool….
Dark Matter Technologies introduces Ask Aiva, an AI assistant embedded in the Empower LOS
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced Ask Aiva®, a conversational AI assistant natively embedded within the Empower® loan origination system (LOS) that allows lenders to query their origination environment in plain language, receive instant answers to see how those answers were derived….
Friday Harbor integrates with Calyx Path Platform to bring AI pre-underwriting directly into the flow of the loan
SEATTLE, Wash. — Friday Harbor today announced a new integration with the Calyx Path Platform that brings AI-powered pre-underwriting directly into the flow of the loan. Instead of waiting until underwriting to uncover issues, lenders can now review borrower documents, surface potential problems and resolve them earlier while maintaining consistent, reliable loan data throughout the lifecycle….
Argyle announces integration with Vesta to embed direct-source verifications within the loan origination system
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — Argyle, a leading provider of direct-source, consumer-permissioned income, employment and asset verifications, today announced a new integration with Vesta, an AI-native loan origination system (LOS) and agent platform built to automate and accelerate mortgage operations….
The Mortgage Collaborative to send advocacy committee to Washington for policy meetings
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), the nation’s largest independent cooperative network for mortgage lenders, will send its Advocacy Committee to Washington, D.C. on April 16 to meet with federal policymakers and housing agencies to discuss mortgage lending, regulatory reform and housing affordability….