Loan originators are increasingly using holistic technologies to reach new leads and nurture old ones.

SEC approves Better-Aurora merger; FICO increasing mortgage revenue as originations decline; Rithm to spin off most of its origination/servicing business; impact of revised capital requirements for large banks.

ICE and Black Knight plan to sell Black Knight’s pricing platform in order to win approval from the FTC of a planned merger. Affiliates of Constellation Software have agreed to acquire Optimal Blue.

When using third-party models, banks should employ testing methods such as back-testing and benchmarking to meet compliance requirements, according to a RiskSpan analyst.

Originations, servicing and secondary market activity could all benefit from Blockchain, according to a new white paper from MISMO.

Servicers have found new success leveraging self-service technologies for borrowers looking for disaster relief and forbearance options.

Proposal for higher capital requirements on mortgages at larger banks expected next week; House passes defense spending bill without RON provision; Umpqua Bank selling one-third of its MSRs; MISMO publishes fee- naming guide; PrimeLending offering fast loan approvals; lender offers AI chatbot to potential borrowers.

Artificial intelligence can cut down on “stare and compare” tasks. But mortgage originations are so complex, and anxiety-provoking for borrowers, that humans are essential.

Home prices expected to decline; FTC hearing on ICE/Black Knight delayed; legal services for AI usage; MISMO updates; accounting proposal on acquired assets.

Mortgage companies across the spectrum are looking for ways to reduce expenses. Automation and artificial intelligence might be a solution.