Headlines

Perfect Practice, an Orlando, Florida-based provider of legal management services technology, announced this week a partnership with Affinity Consulting Group, which offers technology and management solutions for law firms and legal departments. “The partnership will create a streamlined array of services,” according to Perfect Practice.

Elm Street Technology (EST), who offers a portfolio of real estate technology and marketing services companies for agents, teams, and brokerages, recently announced the acquisition of Consolidated Knowledge, a technology platform provider to the residential real estate and multi-family industries. EST aims to offer a single technology solution for lead generation. The acquisition is the next step in EST’s ongoing efforts to consolidate the real estate industry’s leading technology and marketing service providers.

Suits claiming Bank of America and Wells Fargo engaged in discriminatory lending practices in the city of Los Angeles were dismissed this week by an appellate panel in New York. Filed by the city of LA, the suits alleged the two banks targeted minority buyers with more expensive and riskier loans than white borrowers. The appellate panel ultimately sided with the original district court rulings, which stated the city failed to establish a strong enough link between the bank’s policies and any racial disparity in local homeownership.

The latest CFPB Monthly Complaint Report shows older Americans face a unique set of financial difficulties compared to their younger counterparts. The group regularly cites reverse mortgage concerns—specifically servicing issues and difficult changing loan terms—when lodging complaints with the CFPB. Older Americans also cite financial scams, confusion around deferred- and zero-interest credit cards, and being charged unauthorized add-on products as frequent financial complaints.

Loan application defects are on the rise across the country, particularly in North Dakota, Montana, and Vermont. According to an expert economist, it’s riskier lending practices—both on purchases and refinances—that are to blame. McAllen, Texas, and Knoxville, Tennessee, came in the with highest frequency of defaults in terms of metro markets.

According to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, with “the right mindset,” many of the low-income citizens using his department’s services could cease to need them. Carson said as much in a recent radio interview, when he talked poverty, housing, and the role the government should play in both. The interview comes on the back of President Trump’s recent 2018 budget blueprint, which includes more than $6 billion in cuts to the HUD budget.

HouseCanary has integrated their appraisal software into a mobile application. HouseCanary Appraiser now allows appraisers to use the software without relying on web browsers. Appraisers can write reports from start-to-finish on site and cut down on time and costs.

According to new data, home prices have hit a new peak, now reaching $272,000. Eight states and 15 metros also hit new price peaks this year. Washington has seen the biggest jump in prices over the year.

Applying the U.S. Supreme Court’s Spokeo ruling one way to FDCPA claims and yet another way to RESPA claims, federal courts have loan servicers and litigants guessing as to what type of harm to borrowers is considered concrete.

With nearly 40,000 American veterans homeless, the nation is finally starting to take notice. From new bills and big housing projects to events across the nation, parties from all over are taking at aim at veteran homelessness. The Five Star Institute’s upcoming Military Heroes Keys for Life event is just one such effort.