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Homestreet enters agreement to merge with Mechanics Bank

Housing Wire

Mechanics Bank and HomeStreet Inc. Under the terms of the merger which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies HomeStreet Bank will be merged with and into Mechanics Bank. Webb, chairman of the board of directors of Mechanics Bank, said in a statement.

Banks 362
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No Congress, no rate hikes: Bill Ackman’s plan to privatize the GSEs

Housing Wire

Bill Ackman, the billionaire founder of Pershing Square Capital Management , has an audacious plan to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac without congressional approval. The proposal involves the federal government forgiving hundreds of billions of dollars while also reducing capital requirements.

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From consultation to closing: The definitive homebuying checklist

Housing Wire

Secure a mortgage pre-approval As a rule of thumb, its best to have your clients obtain a mortgage pre-approval prior to setting up any searches and conducting property tours. Required documentation Save your clients some time by providing them with a list of the documents theyll need to get pre-approved.

Closing 319
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CFPB ‘quietly’ affirms support for HUD counselors partnering with mortgage originators

Housing Wire

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved counselors can use fee for pre-purchase counseling and homeownership education services. The change was confirmed through a LinkedIn post by HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Counseling David Berenbaum. “The

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How lenders can help borrowers improve their credit score

Housing Wire

At HousingWire’s 2021 Annual Spring Summit, CreditXpert VP of Sales and Client Success Matt Hydrew and T odd Worthington , director of qualification support at Bank of England, discussed top-of-the-funnel strategies lenders can use to help borrowers gain a better understanding of their credit score. Or, give up looking altogether.

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Prudent AI promotes Paul Gigliotti to chief growth officer

Housing Wire

” Independent mortgage banks (IMBs) and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks were largely profitable in 2024 , according to Mortgage Bankers Association data, but that came on the heels of two straight years with net losses for the IMB segment. “With self-employed individuals making up over 10% of the U.S.

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Mortgage infrastructure platform Pylon raises $8.5M in seed round

Housing Wire

million in its seed round to build a mortgage-as-a-service platform for fintechs, banks and retail banks. The built-in underwriting logic aims to deliver quick and accurate decisions to borrowers with maximum affordability approvals and automated tasking. Startup Pylon raised $8.5