Friday, December 5, 2025

From The Orb

New Home Loan Refinance Product May Help Address Student Debt Debacle

SoFi has worked closely with Fannie Mae to develop a new refinance program that helps borrowers mitigate student debt burden.

Closing Time: Digital Loans Are Great, But Still Not As Important As Sales

(Editor’s note: “Closing Time” is a semi-regular “Blog View” series brought to readers of MortgageOrb by the folks at Velocify, which offers an automated...

How To Avoid Losing Valuable Originators During The Winter

BLOG VIEW: Although the holidays make this the most wonderful time of the year for some, it can also be the time of year when...

When It Comes To Industry Collaboration, TRID Was Only The Beginning

Costs, investor requirements and market will only drive lenders and service providers to collaborate more than ever before in the coming months and years.

How Will Mortgage Rates Fare Under Fed Tightening?

BLOG VIEW: The Fed, after over 18 months of dithering, is finally embarking on a strong dollar policy. That is what I see as...

Delinquent Utility Bills And The Risk To Lenders

Delinquencies for utility, trash and fire district bills can be small amounts – some as low as $50 – but they often are not reported to lenders.

2017: A Year Of Uncertainty

BLOG VIEW: With the New Year looming, it's time to rethink some of the dated perceptions of the housing market and how it will...

How Lenders Can Prepare Borrowers For The Appraisal Process

BLOG VIEW: As a mortgage professional, it is likely that you know the ins and outs of the appraisal process like the back of...

Barry Hays: Intelligent Personal Assistants Will Play Larger Role In Mortgage Servicing

PERSON OF THE WEEK: Barry Hays is co-founder and senior vice president of TeleVoice, a provider of contact center technology to the mortgage servicing...

What Servicers Must Know About HOA/COA Super Liens

BLOG VIEW: Homeowners associations (HOAs) and condo owners associations (COAs) are different breeds altogether. Many servicers incorrectly assume they can service these properties much...

Communicating With The Appraiser: Top 10 Guide For Getting Answers And Staying Compliant

BLOG VIEW: The home appraisal has been requested ... and the waiting begins. As a lender, many questions race through your mind: "Will the...

Three Keys To Successful Recruiting And Training

BLOG VIEW: The evolution of responsibilities for today’s mortgage professional has been powered primarily by changing demographics in the housing market. Effectively addressing the...

Appraisal Management Company Bonds Explained In Five Steps

BLOG VIEW: More than 20 states require appraisal management companies (AMCs) to get surety bonds when applying to get licensed. To some companies, surety...

Brenda Jarvis: How The Game Has Changed In Retail Mortgage

PERSON OF THE WEEK: Brenda Jarvis is vice president of national retail lending for MiMutual Mortgage, a privately held retail and wholesale non-depository mortgage...

Goldilocks And The Three Tolerances: The Importance Of Getting Fees ‘Just Right’ Under TRID

When it comes to disclosing fees on a loan estimate (LE), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a lot like Goldilocks.

Frank Virga: Educating Millennials On The Home Buying Process

PERSON OF THE WEEK: Frank Virga is a New York-based senior loan officer for Embrace Home Loans, a direct lender for Fannie Mae and...

The October Foreclosure Surprise

BLOG VIEW: October is typically a month we all look forward to for spooky reasons. Spending time with our families for Halloween and the...

Lending To Our Nation’s Veterans: A Purpose-Driven Business

BLOG VIEW: As we celebrate Veterans Day and honor those who’ve served, it’s an opportune time to step back and discuss something that is...

Using Technology To Insulate Profits

BLOG VIEW: In November 2015, about a month after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's  (CFPB) TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule took effect, the Mortgage...

Jay Garvens: Taking An Origination Approach To Demographics

PERSON OF THE WEEK: Jay Garvens is a branch manager with Churchill Mortgage in the company's Colorado Springs, Colo., location. MortgageOrb recently interviewed Garvens...