News By Edition

As federal oversight pulls back, banks and mortgage lenders face a more scattered compliance landscape shaped by state regulators and attorneys general (AGs) working to pick up the pieces.

Wiley Rein LLP recently added Peter Rechter to the law firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice as a partner. His arrival is the latest of multiple other notable additions to the practice.

Click n’ Close, a multi-state mortgage lender, has appointed Merv Govender as chief information officer. Govender brings more than 27 years of technology leadership experience across the banking, gaming and healthcare industries, according to a company press release.

SingleSource Property Solutions, a provider of residential property services supporting the U.S. housing industry, announced Noah Meier has joined the company as chief appraiser.

Veros Real Estate Solutions, an enterprise risk management and collateral valuation services provider, announced the launch of VeroVISION, designed to turn property photos into powerful objective insights.

Federal regulators may soon push for lenders to strengthen protocols for verifying a loan applicant’s immigration status, following an executive order (EO) issued by President Donald Trump on May 19. Dodd Frank Update spoke with a pair of former regulators about the impact the EO could have on lenders, given the many precautions financial institutions already take to mitigate potential risks associated with lending to noncitizens.

The use of the third person in appraisal reporting stems from the need to present objective, detached and professional analysis. Jamie Owen, owner of Aspen Appraisal Services, shared his thoughts on this topic with Dodd Frank Update, including what hinders clarity regarding complex or litigation-heavy assignments.

A federal court approved a $110 million settlement to resolve allegations against Wells Fargo claiming the nation’s third-largest bank by asset-size engaged in systemic discrimination through its mortgage lending and hiring practices. The settlement includes the creation of programs benefiting low-and-moderate-income borrowers.

After nearly a year of anxious waiting for many veteran homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the release of its new partial claim program and updated loss mitigation “waterfall” on June 1.

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., a provider of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets, recently released its May ICE Mortgage Monitor report. The analysis found that U.S. home prices rose 0.32 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis — the strongest single-month gain in nearly two years.

Dodd Frank Update spoke with McKissock Learning’s Kevin Hecht on the topic of “Human Judgement in a Machine World: Keeping Appraisal Expertise at the Center" for part II of our conversation with the appraisal industry veteran, along with other timely topics for appraisers, including making sense of artificial intelligence.

With federal agencies rolling back rules and guidance that governed fair lending compliance while states are ramping up regulation and enforcement in the fair lending space, calibrating compliance risk mitigation strategies accordingly is a daunting task. A panel of fair lending experts recently discussed the rapidly shifting compliance priorities.

The minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee’s meeting held on April 28–29 shed more light on what turned out to be the most divided decision on the federal funds target rate in more than 30 years.

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council has invited public comments on proposed revisions to the uniform financial institutions rating system, used to rate an institution’s safety and soundness.

A new industry report from Celent, commissioned by Zest AI, a company founded in 2009 providing services in financial technology with a mission to modernize lending and strengthen the financial system, recently revealed that fraud has moved from an operational cost to a direct contributor to credit losses.

The House voted 396-13 to pass its amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on May 20. The ball is once again in the Senate’s court to determine what happens next with the bill, which has gained strong bipartisan support from lawmakers and within the financial services sector.

Huntington National Bank announced it has joined the CHIPS network to clear and settle high-value domestic payments. Operated by The Clearing House, the network is the largest private-sector U.S. dollar clearing and settlement system in the world.

Managing friction in financial transactions without losing trust requires shifting from a “frictionless” mindset to a “smart friction” approach for stopping fraudsters in their tracks, according to Paul Byrne, head of fraud solutions at SentiLink.

Federal Reserve Gov. Stephen Miran submitted his resignation on May 14, ending his eight-month stint as a member of the board. His seat will be filled by former chairman Fed Gov. Jerome Powell, who announced his intention to serve out the remainder of his governorship.

Dodd Frank Update caught up with McKissock Learning’s Kevin Hecht after he spoke at the 2026 Appraiser’s Conference and Trade Show in Seattle, Wash., for more details about the multiple situations appraisers are now facing when it comes to adapting to the ways of artificial intelligence and other technological advances within the appraisal world.

Attendees at this year’s National Settlement Services Summit (NS3) had the opportunity to bring comfort to Kansas City area children in the family court system through the annual Make a Child Smile community outreach event, sponsored by Qualia.

Atlas VMS, a valuation and mortgage solutions company providing modern appraisal and technology platforms, recently announced the launch of Atlas LoanShield, an insurance-backed appraisal warranty that guarantees the accuracy and reliability of appraisal reports issued by the company.

Just when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau seemed to be finding something tantamount to stable footing, the agency’s future under the Trump administration is once again in question via challenges in the form of a federal court appeal and Congressional resolutions of disapproval.

Dodd Frank Update caught up with Anthony Blackburn of SJC Appraisal after the 2026 Appraiser’s Conference and Trade Show in Seattle, where he discussed using pivot tables to analyze appraisal data.

More than 40 speakers will take the stage over three days this week at the National Settlement Services Summit (NS3) at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown in Kansas City, Mo.

Clear Capital, the national real estate analytics, data solutions, and valuation technology company, recently announced its acquisition of Restb.ai, a Barcelona-based company utilizing artificial intelligence-(AI) powered computer vision technology for the valuation and real estate industries, to bring deeper property intelligence to real estate decision-making globally.

In its May newsletter, The Appraisal Foundation (TAF) highlighted appreciative sentiments from a PAREA (Practical Application of Real Estate Appraisal) Pathways to Success Scholarship recipient. Sam Harris, the first Pathways to Success graduate, shared his thoughts in a letter sent to TAF.

The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new chairman of the Federal Reserve. Warsh’s experience in financial markets and his approach to monetary policy have earned him support from industry trade associations.

Nearly two years after the Supreme Court raised the bar for preemption arguments with its ruling in Cantero v. Bank of America, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals contradicted the high court and two others with its ruling on New York’s law requiring interest payments on mortgage escrow accounts.

The Appraisal Standards Board (ASB) of The Appraisal Foundation recently released a second Exposure Draft of proposed Advisory Opinion 41 aiming to guide appraisers on using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automated valuation models while complying with USPAP. Dodd Frank Update spoke with ASB Vice Chair Tim Hansen about these proposals.

Mortgage lenders are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence (AI), but many are still grappling with how to use AI to improve efficiency and responsiveness without weakening the human relationships that drive trust, referrals, and repeat business, according to STRATMOR Group's April Insights Report.

The Federal Reserve approved four bank merger and acquisition applications in recent months, including one for a bank based outside the U.S. The deals involve institutions headquartered in New Jersey, Virginia and Peru, to name a few.

The appraisal industry is transitioning from traditional, in-person property inspections to modern, technology-driven methods, with the next phase likely to involve fully integrated, artificial intelligence-powered “valuation modernization.” Dodd Frank Update caught up with Valligent Chief Operating Officer George Paquette to discuss virtual inspections and their effect on appraisals.

Housing industry professionals and consumers have their hands full trying to navigate affordability pressures, inventory shortages and an ever-shifting rate environment. A panel of experts from across the real estate ecosystem will examine how lenders, homebuilders and settlement partners can better collaborate to improve the homebuyer journey and, in turn, drive referral business for title agencies.

Financial services trade organizations welcomed the House’s 224-200 vote in favor of advancing its version of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), also known as the “Farm Bill,” to the Senate.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased by seven basis points from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac, but remained lower than a year prior.

Class Valuation recently launched Class Valuation Underwriting Engine, an underwriting and appraisal assurance program designed to reduce lender risk, lower operational costs and accelerate loan closings.

Financial services advocates concerned by the risk of “deposit flight” resulting from the integration of digital currencies into the U.S. banking system have advocated for legislative action to address “loopholes” that could negatively impact the industry.

ATTOM, which specializes in property data, AI-powered analytics and real estate intelligence solutions, launched an automated valuation model (AVM) with the aim to “move beyond the limitations of traditional comparable-sales-based valuation models,” according to a company press release.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a final rule implementing small business lending requirements outlined under Sec. 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act. The scope of the final rule is significantly narrower than the previous version finalized in March 2023 and leaves open the possibility for future amendments.

Dustin Harris “The Appraiser Coach,” examines how new tools will forever change how one runs their business, specifically ChatGPT and OpenClaw, a free and open-source autonomous artificial intelligence agent that can execute tasks via large language models.

A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Virginia Richmond Division by a mortgage loan applicant accused Bank of America and Velox Valuations of engaging in racial discrimination in mortgage lending and property appraisal.

To lower housing development costs and streamline operations, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the revision of environmental review requirements described in its Federal Housing Administration Multifamily Accelerated Processing Guide on May 4.

Americans owe nearly $13.2 trillion on their mortgages, and the personal-finance company WalletHub recently released its report on the “States Adding the Most Mortgage Debt” to show where homeowners are struggling the most.