Tag: Texas Business

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month. This marks a quarter-century of innovation in modernizing lending processes for residential mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide.

HOUSTON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization (RON) and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced that Enterprise Product Manager Joseph Bisaillon has been honored as a 2025 HousingWire Tech Trendsetter. The award is given to technology leaders driving impactful innovation in the housing industry.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced that Chief Product Officer Ramiro Castro has been recognized by HousingWire as a 2025 Tech Trendsetter. The annual award celebrates 75 technology leaders whose vision and execution are reshaping the housing economy.

ADDISON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced the addition of Jon Wilson as Vice President of Accounting. In this role, Wilson will oversee corporate accounting, financial reporting and process optimization, supporting the company's continued growth and operational excellence.

DALLAS, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Benchmark Mortgage, a full-service mortgage lender and broker based in Dallas, has named Denise Donoghue, also known as "The Mortgage Nerd," as its 2025 Blue Jacket winner. The prestigious award is given annually by Benchmark Mortgage, a community of expert mortgage consultants in more than 80 branches nationwide, to members who embody the company's core values and demonstrate excellence in business execution.

ADDISON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced a two-part initiative to support lenders during the federal government shutdown: free lock extensions for USDA loans already in its wholesale pipeline and acceptance of new USDA locks, which will be eligible for the same free extensions through Dec. 31,

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced the completion of an additional round of equity funding, which was led by existing investor Lateral Investment Management, based in San Mateo, California.

PLANO, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today announced the launch of a new data solution to deliver increased market transparency, as well as three major platform enhancements focused on pricing accuracy, trade execution and counterparty management. Released ahead of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Annual Convention and Expo, and as the company prepares for its 2026 Optimal Blue Summit, these innovations reinforce Optimal Blue's commitment to delivering solutions that position lenders to drive operational excellence and boost competitive performance.

PLANO, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today released its September 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which showed a sharp increase in rate-lock activity as mortgage rates fell throughout the month to their lowest levels in nearly a year. Total lock volume rose 28% month over month (MoM), led by a surge in refinance lending as borrowers seized on the opportunity to lower monthly payments. Purchases also climbed 6% MoM, outperforming typical seasonal trends as improved affordability brought more buyers into the market.

HOUSTON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization (RON) and identity verification / authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced that its eClose360® platform is fully compatible with the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization's (MISMO) newly published SMART Doc® V3 standard for electronic home equity lines of credit (eHELOCs).

ADDISON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced the appointment of Ian Kimball as president. In this role, Kimball will oversee strategic growth initiatives, operational execution and market expansion, reporting to founder and CEO Jeff Bode.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, today announced a certified integration with Optimal Blue that connects FirstClose's point-of-sale (POS) platform to Optimal Blue's product, pricing and eligibility (PPE) engine. The integration builds on FirstClose's ability to reduce home equity closing times from 45 days to 10 or fewer.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Velocity Credit Union, a trusted financial partner for over 75 years, today announced the launch of its refreshed brand, including a new logo, a modernized website, and updated branch locations. The updated look and feel reflects Velocity's ongoing commitment to innovation, accessibility, and delivering an exceptional, member-first experience both in person and online.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced the expansion of its sales organization with the addition of four accomplished industry sales professionals. These new team members bring deep industry experience and proven track records that will support the company's continued growth in home equity lending.

HOUSTON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- NotaryCam®, a Stewart-owned company and a pioneering provider of remote online notarization (RON) and identity verification/authentication technology for real estate and legal transactions, today announced it has partnered with mortgage subservicing leader Dovenmuehle Mortgage Inc. and Texas-based law firm RUTH RUHL, P.C. to offer remote online notarization (RON) services for loan modification agreements.

PLANO, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today released its August 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, which found a sharp split between purchase and refinance trends as seasonal factors and falling rates reshaped origination activity. Total lock volume dipped about 2% month over month (MoM) as a roughly 10% drop in purchase locks outweighed the strongest month for rate-and-term refinances this year, which surged nearly 70%.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today the promotion of Andria Lightfoot to vice president of client success. In her new role, Lightfoot will join the sales and revenue organization and be responsible for implementation and customer success strategy.

ADDISON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced the launch of its SmartBuy 5/1 ARM Down Payment Assistance (DPA) product, designed specifically to help home builders address affordability concerns and support new home sales.

ADDISON, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- Click n' Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced that its Chief Operations Officer, Kara Lamphere, has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard. The award recognizes C-suite professionals and business leaders whose vision and leadership are driving the housing industry forward across lending, servicing, investments and real estate.

AUSTIN, Texas /New York Netwire - National News/ -- FirstClose™, Inc., a leading fintech provider of data and workflow solutions for mortgage and home equity lenders nationwide, announced today that co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tedd Smith has been named a 2025 HousingWire Vanguard.