By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Rocket Pro TPO is kicking off its annual December to Remember event and the executive vice president says it will mean more for mortgage professionals this year than ever before.
Mike Fawaz and his team announced on Nov. 20 that they will again be spreading holiday cheer this month with wins focused on helping the broker community. He said during an interview with The Mortgage Note this week that due to the state of the market in 2023, brokers and loan officers are hustling to finish the year strong.
“To me, this year December to Remember becomes a lot more special than any other year because, for one, December to Remember came to life to help mortgage…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
The new vice president of public policy at Rocket Central says his goal is to increase opportunities for people who have historically had difficulties achieving home ownership because of a host of barriers.
Karan Kaul, a housing finance veteran who worked as a principal research associate in the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute prior to joining Rocket, said that means focusing on first-time homebuyers, people of color, and low- to moderate-income borrowers.
In a recent interview with The Mortgage Note, Kaul said a well-documented hurdle to homeownership is a lack of an adequate down payment, especially with the increase in home prices over the last decade.
“So what can we do to make sure…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
As the housing market moderates after a whirlwind pandemic ride, affordability continues to be a chief concern for consumers and mortgage providers are responding with a variety of programs to encourage potential buyers to get off the sidelines.
Leaders at Rocket Mortgage say that a major hurdle on the path to homeownership for their clients is saving for closing costs and earlier this month they announced a national program where buyers can receive help through BUY+, a collaboration with Rocket Homes.
Buyers can receive a credit of 1.5% of their loan amount – up to $10,000 off their closing costs – by working with a Rocket Homes Partner Agent. Those working with an unaffiliated real estate professional…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Leaders at Rocket Mortgage have been rolling out programs to serve potential homebuyers in underserved communities.
They announced last week that the company is the first national lender to offer Freddie Mac’s BorrowSmart Access program, which has a $3,000 credit for first-time homebuyers to use toward their down payment.
To qualify for this program, the buyer must have an income equal to or less than 140% of the area median income and meet all other Freddie Mac lending guidelines. The purchase must take place in an eligible county within one of 10 metropolitan areas.
The cities include Detroit, where Rocket is headquartered, Atlanta, Chicago, El Paso, Houston, McAllen, Memphis, Miami, Philadelphia, and St. Louis.
In December, Purchase…
