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Monthly Archives: February 2025

January Mortgage Lock Data Shows Year-Over-Year Improvement in Refinance Volume Despite Higher Rates | National News

PLANO, Texas /California Newswire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today released its January 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report, revealing a sharp rise in year-over-year (YoY) refinance activity alongside a drop in purchase lock counts. The decline in purchase lock counts marks the lowest January count since Optimal Blue began tracking this data in 2019. Meanwhile, refinance lock volume surged even though the Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (OBMMI) 30-year ticked above 7% for the first time since May.

Laura Dowling’s #1 Book ‘The Everyday Leader’ Empowers Readers with Authentic Leadership Strategies | National News

VANCOUVER, B.C. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Leadership coach and workplace performance consultant Laura Dowling releases her new book, "The Everyday Leader: Inner Mastery, Outer Impact" (ISBN: 978-1779623645; Tellwell Talent), an insightful guide that redefines leadership as an accessible and essential practice for individuals at every level. Recently recognized as an Amazon #1 Hot New Release in Career Guides, "The Everyday Leader" has also earned an IndieReader Approved designation for its well-crafted, engaging approach to leadership development.

ProNotary launches comprehensive training program to help businesses seamlessly integrate remote notarization into their operations | National News

DALLAS, Texas /California Newswire - National News/ -- ProNotary, a leading provider of remote online notarization (RON) technology, has launched a new comprehensive training program designed to help businesses seamlessly integrate remote notarization into their operations. This initiative aims to streamline onboarding, reduce knowledge loss due to turnover, and make RON adoption more accessible than ever.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day 2025 with HitPaw Edimakor: Share Love Through Stunning Video Creations | National News

NEW YORK, N.Y. /California Newswire - National News/ -- HitPaw Edimakor, the leading AI-powered video editing software, announces its Valentine's Day Sale and invites you to express your love creatively. With its latest updates, Edimakor makes it easier than ever to create personalized, heartfelt videos that capture the essence of love and affection, now featuring an extensive collection of Valentine's Day video templates to add a festive and romantic touch to your projects.

Snappy Tomato Pizza Expands with New Location in Batavia, Ohio | National News

BATAVIA, Ohio /California Newswire - National News/ -- Snappy Tomato Pizza, a beloved community favorite known for its fresh ingredients, excellent service, and award-winning pizza, is excited to announce the grand opening of its newest location in Batavia, Ohio. Located at 501 West Main Street, this expansion brings Snappy's signature flavors and commitment to quality to even more pizza lovers.

Casino Party Planners Brings the Thrill of Vegas to CARE’s 8th Annual Casino Night | National News

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Casino Party Planners is proud to partner with the Companion Animal Rescue Endeavor (CARE) for their eighth annual Casino Night Fundraiser, set to take place on Friday, February 28, 2025, at Shiloh Farms. This exciting event promises an unforgettable evening of entertainment, camaraderie, and philanthropy, all in support of CARE's vital work to assist sick and injured animals.

Coupert Reveals Most Popular Promotional Codes of 2025 | National News

KOWLOON, Hong Kong /California Newswire - National News/ -- Coupert, a leading online platform for discovering and sharing discounts, today announced the most frequently used promotional codes in 2025. As shopping habits evolve and consumer preferences shift, these codes continue to dominate across various industries, providing substantial savings for shoppers and boosting retailer sales.

Save LBI Encouraged by Collapse of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Projects, Presses on with Litigation to Ensure Permanent Victory | National...

LONG BEACH ISLAND, N.J. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Save Long Beach Island (Save LBI), the non-partisan watchdog group formed in 2021 to protect the ocean and New Jersey Shore communities from the destructive impacts of offshore wind, announced today that, while it is gratified by the collapse of the controversial Atlantic Shores South projects, the organization will remain vigilant and continue the fight to ensure that these projects and the Atlantic Shores North project are canceled and never return.
Informative Research

Informative Research Integrates with Thomas & Co, Expanding Mortgage Verification Platform Connectivity

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Informative Research, a premier technology provider delivering data-driven credit and verification solutions to the lending community, today announced its integration with Thomas & Company, a leading provider of value-added employer services and innovative solutions to support employee relations programs. The integration adds Thomas & Company's Wage and Employment Verification service to Informative Research's verification platform.
Share and Pair Sundays

COME TOGETHER – A Community for Wine Announces ‘Share and Pair Sundays’ Campaign

ST. HELENA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Following the tremendous success of the inaugural 'Come Over October' campaign, which reached over 1.7 billion media impressions and garnered coverage in major outlets including Forbes, NPR, and The Washington Post, COME TOGETHER-A Community for Wine Inc. announces the launch of Share & Pair Sundays, a Spring-to-Summer campaign celebrating the delicious marriage of wine and food. The new campaign also reinforces wine's unique ability to bring people together, so successfully communicated in the Come Over October campaign.

Millionaire Mastermind Academy Expands National Impact, Empowering Over 8,000 Minority Women Entrepreneurs | National News

ATLANTA, Ga. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Millionaire Mastermind Academy (MMA), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization, has released its 2023-2024 Annual Impact Report, underscoring its proprietary entrepreneur curriculum and the power of strategic national partnerships in creating pathways to financial independence for minority women entrepreneurs. MMA has supported over 8,000 entrepreneurs, empowering them with the education, mentorship, and resources needed to build and scale successful businesses.

Apparo’s Transformative 2025 Mission Possible Award Program Open for Nonprofit Registration | National News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Apparo opens their 2025 Mission Possible Award Program, a nonprofit accelerator sponsored by Accenture that takes nonprofits on ideation journeys to envision how technology can solve nonprofits' most pressing challenges.

HitPaw, a pioneer in multimedia editing solutions, announces its exclusive 2025 Valentine’s Day event | National News

NEW YORK, N.Y. /California Newswire - National News/ -- HitPaw, a pioneer in multimedia editing solutions, is thrilled to announce its exclusive Valentine's Day event! Love is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than by participating in a fun-filled activity that earns you entries and unlocks amazing rewards? Join now and stand a chance to win incredible prizes.

Argyle launches fully embedded VOIE for mortgage lenders through nCino integration | National News

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Argyle, a service provider automating income and employment verifications for some of the largest mortgage lenders in the United States, today announced significant enhancements to its integration with nCino (NASDAQ: NCNO), the leading provider of intelligent, best-in-class banking solutions.

Mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture with Rich Swerbinsky and Rob Chrisman spotlights Rate’s Laura Schmidt as February 13 guest |...

CLEVELAND, Ohio /California Newswire - National News/ -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, this week features Laura Schmidt, senior vice president of enterprise risk and internal audit at Rate, a leading residential mortgage lending company based in Chicago. With extensive experience in enterprise risk, internal audits and regulatory management, Schmidt offers valuable insights for lenders looking to mitigate risk and ensure compliance in today's financial services landscape.

Celebrating Youth Sports Heroes: Stack Sports Names Winners of the 2024 Stack MVP Awards | National News

PLANO, Texas /California Newswire - National News/ -- Stack Sports, the trusted leader in sports management technology, is honored to share the stories of 27 extraordinary individuals whose dedication and passion for youth sports have left a lasting impact on their communities. The Stack MVP Awards shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of sports-coaches, volunteers, officials, athletes, and leaders.
MCT February 2025 Indices Report

Mortgage Lock Volume Stays Flat in MCT February 2025 Indices Report

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire / -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT®), the de facto leader in innovative mortgage capital markets technology, announced today a 0.12% decrease in mortgage lock volume compared to the previous month. Industry professionals and market enthusiasts are encouraged to download the complete report for a deeper understanding of the latest market trends and dynamics.

Matrix Advises on the Sale of PMI Lubricants to Wallis Lubricants, LLC | National News

RICHMOND, Va. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. announces the successful sale of PMI Lubricants ("PMI" or the "Company"), a portfolio company of Dunne Manning, to Wallis Lubricants, LLC. PMI is a leading Mid-Atlantic provider of lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid, and ancillary products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Virginia and parts of Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina.

Fannie Mae Vice President Bill Cleary to Speak at ACES Quality Management Conference in May | National News

DENVER, Colo. /California Newswire - National News/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the financial services industry, has announced that Bill Cleary, vice president of Single-Family Credit Risk Loan Quality at Fannie Mae, will speak at the ACES ENGAGE conference at The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 18-20, 2025.

Click n’ Close’s SmartBuy™ Shared Appreciation Mortgage Program expands to Freddie Mac 30-year conventional loans | National News

ADDISON, Texas /California Newswire - National News/ -- Click n' Close (CNC), a multi-state mortgage lender, today announced its SmartBuy™ Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM) program now features a 30-year, fixed-rate conventional option approved by Freddie Mac.

Mortgage Machine Awarded Its First HousingWire Tech100 Recognition | National News

ADDISON, Texas /California Newswire - National News/ -- Mortgage Machine™ Services (Mortgage Machine), an industry leader in digital origination technology to residential mortgage lenders, announced that it has been selected by HousingWire magazine for its annual TECH100 award, marking Mortgage Machine's first-ever inclusion on the premier list of mortgage and real estate technology providers. The magazine chose Mortgage Machine for its high efficiency, dedication to security and outstanding client growth outcomes.

Cloudvirga earns eighth consecutive HousingWire Tech100 award for mortgage innovation | National News

IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Cloudvirga, a leading provider of digital mortgage point-of-sale platforms, has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Tech100 Mortgage list, marking its eighth consecutive year receiving one of the industry's top technology awards. The recognition reflects Cloudvirga's ongoing commitment to innovation, from enhancements to its Horizon suite of point-of-sale solutions to investments in a next-generation platform that will introduce new levels of speed, flexibility and customization for lenders.

Celebrate Black History Month at Soul Fest in Oakland Park! | National News

OAKLAND PARK, Fla. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Join us at Soul Fest as we honor Black History Month by celebrating the rich contributions and achievements of the African American community. This free, family-friendly event will take place on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Jaco Pastorius Park at 4000 North Dixie Highway, Oakland Park, Florida.

iEmergent named to HousingWire’s Tech100 list for 2025 | National News

DES MOINES, Iowa /California Newswire - National News/ -- iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, today announced its selection to HousingWire's 2025 Tech100 Mortgage list. The prestigious recognition honors iEmergent's flagship platform, Mortgage MarketSmart, for equipping mortgage lenders with the insights to serve diverse and underserved communities.
Optimal Blue

Optimal Blue Introduces Seven Major Innovations at Its Inaugural User Summit in San Diego | National News

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Optimal Blue today unveiled a series of new products and features, alongside its major Ask Obi AI assistant announcement, at its Summit user conference in San Diego. These innovation announcements underscore the company's commitment to delivering high-impact solutions, at no additional cost, that tackle real-world challenges and help lenders maximize profitability.
Optimal Blue

Optimal Blue Releases Ask Obi, its New AI Assistant, Providing Mortgage Lending Execs with Realtime Business Insights

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire / -- Optimal Blue today announced Ask Obi, an AI assistant designed to provide mortgage lending executives with instant, actionable insights from their Optimal Blue products and data. Unveiled during Optimal Blue's inaugural Summit user conference in San Diego, Ask Obi gives lenders the power to view their operations holistically with data aggregation across Optimal Blue's comprehensive capital markets platform.

ACES Quality Management Named to HousingWire TECH100 for the 11th Time | National News

DENVER, Colo. /California Newswire - National News/ -- ACES Quality Management® (ACES), the leading provider of enterprise quality management and control software for the mortgage industry, has been selected for the 11th consecutive year by HousingWire magazine for its annual TECH100 honors list. The magazine chose ACES for the continual innovation of its flagship ACES Quality Management & Control® software.

NotaryCam honored on HousingWire’s annual Tech100 list of premier technology providers for the 7th time | National News

HOUSTON, Texas /California Newswire - 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 its inclusion in the prestigious Tech100 awards program. Now in its 13th year, HousingWire Magazine's Tech100 program honors the most innovative and impactful organizations in the mortgage and real estate industries.

Mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture with Rich Swerbinsky and Rob Chrisman showcases Optimal Blue CEO Joe Tyrrell as February 6...

CLEVELAND, Ohio /California Newswire - National News/ -- Top mortgage industry webcast The Big Picture, broadcast live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, this week features Joe Tyrrell, CEO of Optimal Blue, a leading provider of comprehensive capital markets solutions. With over 25 years of experience in mortgage, finance and technology, Tyrrell will share insights for lenders seeking to fine-tune profitability in secondary market transactions and enhance operational efficiency through technology.

Informative Research named to HousingWire’s Mortgage Tech100 | National News

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Informative Research, a leading technology platform that delivers data-driven solutions to the lending community, announced today the company has been named to the prestigious HousingWire Tech100 annual list. Informative Research's solutions have driven measurable impacts for lenders and consumers alike.

Teal Secures ISO 27001 Certification for Information Security Excellence | National News

WASHINGTON D.C. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Teal, a sophisticated managed service provider supporting forward-thinking small and medium-sized businesses, is proud to announce that it has achieved ISO 27001 certification - a testament to its unwavering commitment to data security, privacy, and operational excellence.

LenderLogix Honored with HousingWire Tech100 Recognition for Fourth Consecutive Year | National News

BUFFALO, N.Y. /California Newswire - National News/ -- LenderLogix, a leading provider of mortgage automation software and application programming interfaces (APIs), today announced it has been named to HousingWire magazine's annual mortgage Tech100 list. The Tech100 award aims to spotlight innovative technology companies across the housing sector. LenderLogix is recognized for its tightly integrated, white-labeled solutions built to empower lenders of all sizes to lend more efficiently while delivering outstanding borrower experiences.

Argyle recognized on HousingWire’s Tech100 list for 2025 | National News

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Argyle, a platform providing automated income and employment verifications for some of the largest lenders in the United States, today announced its second consecutive appearance in HousingWire's annual Tech100 Mortgage list, which recognizes the most innovative technology companies in housing finance. The recognition highlights Argyle's significant contributions to the mortgage industry through its delivery of real-time, cost-effective income and employment verification (VOIE) solutions that streamline loan processing, improve loan pull-through and reduce costs for lenders.

Dark Matter Technologies, a leader in LOS, servicing and AI-based automation software, named to HousingWire’s Tech100 list for a second year...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative new leader in mortgage technology, today announced it has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Tech100 Mortgage list of companies shaping the future of the housing finance sector. The recognition acknowledges ongoing investments Dark Matter has made to its Empower® loan origination system (LOS), the addition of the NOVA LOS to Dark Matter's product lineup, and advances in productivity and accuracy Dark Matter is making with the AIVA® suite of AI virtual assistants.

Down Payment Resource CEO Rob Chrane honored as 2025 RISMedia Newsmaker | National News

ATLANTA, Ga. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry authority on homebuyer assistance program data and solutions, today announced that its Founder and CEO Rob Chrane has been named a RISMedia 2025 Real Estate Newsmaker. RISMedia Newsmakers are individuals whose efforts are positively impacting the consumers and communities they serve. This is the second year in a row Chrane has been named to the Newsmakers list.

Down Payment Resource named to HousingWire’s 2025 Mortgage Tech100 for supporting lender adoption of down payment assistance | National News

ATLANTA, Ga. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Down Payment Resource (DPR), the housing industry's leading technology for connecting homebuyers with homebuyer assistance programs, has been named to HousingWire's 2025 Mortgage Tech100 list, which recognizes "the companies and solutions that are revolutionizing the mortgage process - from origination to closing, and servicing to secondary markets."

Dark Matter Technologies breaks into the servicing market | National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Dark Matter Technologies (Dark Matter®), an innovative leader in mortgage technology, today announced its expansion into the servicing market with the launch of a Dark Matter servicing platform. This strategic move positions Dark Matter as a comprehensive provider of mortgage solutions by aligning the scalable, easy-to-configure servicing platform alongside the company's loan origination systems (LOSs) and artificial intelligence productivity assistants.

Floify named to HousingWire’s 2025 Tech100 Mortgage honoree list | National News

BOULDER, Colo. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Floify, the mortgage industry's leading point-of-sale (POS) solution, announced that it has been named a 2025 HW Tech100 Mortgage award honoree. Now in its 13th year, the HW Tech100 award program recognizes some of the most innovative and impactful technology organizations serving the housing sector. The company is based in Boulder, Colorado and is a subsidiary of Porch Group, Inc. ("Porch Group") (NASDAQ: PRCH).
Merriam Vineyards

Merriam Vineyards Celebrates 25 Years of Winegrowing Excellence in the Russian River Valley, California

HEALDSBURG, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Merriam Vineyards, a pioneering force in Russian River Valley's diverse winegrowing landscape, announces the commencement of its 25th anniversary celebration. Founded in 2000 by Peter and Diana Merriam, the winery has evolved from its initial 12-acre purchase into a distinguished estate encompassing three distinct vineyard properties, each expressing the unique terroir of the Russian River Valley AVA.

2025 Top Pokemon GO Spoofer for iOS and Android: iToolab AnyGo Guide | National News

NEW YORK, N.Y. /California Newswire - National News/ -- Pokémon GO has captured the hearts of millions, encouraging players to get outside, explore, and hunt for rare Pokémon. But not everyone has the time or means to travel far and wide to catch region-exclusive Pokémon or join special global events. That's where iToolab AnyGo steps in-a smart and simple solution for iOS users in 2025. With iToolab AnyGo, you can enjoy the thrill of exploring new locations without ever leaving your home.

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