Infrastructure Software Engineer - AI & Data Security

Partnership brings ai-powered valuation review to lenders. AppraisalWorks, a provider of collateral management systems, along with Accurate Group, a national appraisal management company (AMC) and provider of technology-enabled real estate solutions, announced a strategic partnership with HomeVision, a provider in AI-powered review of valuation services. The collaboration integrates HomeVision's AI-powered review technology directly into the appraisal and valuation workflows used by lenders and operators. The partnership is designed to help accelerate processing, reduce cost per loan, improve quality and support lenders as the industry transitions to UAD 3.6. Through embedded integrations and bundled review services, lenders and operators can access HomeVision's AI-powered review capabilities directly within their existing valuation workflows and technology environments. "We partnered with HomeVision because they're fundamentally changing what's possible in valuation review - bringing AI into a process that has traditionally been manual, time-consuming and ripe for transformation," said Paul Doman, CEO of Accurate Group. "This partnership brings together the right combination of technology, expertise and workflow integration to help our clients move faster without sacrificing quality. By combining HomeVision's AI-powered review technology with AppraisalWorks workflow technology, Accurate Group's valuation expertise, we can help lenders lower costs, strengthen quality and identify potential risk earlier in the loan lifecycle - all while preparing for smooth, day-one transition to UAD 3.6." The added review layer can also help bolster lenders repurchase-risk strategies by identifying potential appraisal defects, inconsistencies and collateral concerns earlier in the loan lifecycle, giving lenders greater visibility into issues that could create risk downstream. For HomeVision, the partnership expands access to its AI-powered underwriting platform, enabling more lenders and valuation operators to incorporate automated review directly into their existing processes. "AI has the potential to fundamentally improve how valuation reviews are performed, but its greatest value comes when it is embedded into the workflows lenders already use," said Jeff Foster, CEO and Co-Founder of HomeVision. "Our partnership with AppraisalWorks and Accurate Group brings that capability directly into the valuation process, helping lenders improve efficiency and quality while preparing for the industry's transition to UAD 3.6." The collaboration further advances AppraisalWorks' mission to give lenders access to leading collateral management technology and industry tools, and Accurate Group's position as the leader in UAD 3.6 readiness. Together, the companies are helping lenders navigate the evolving valuation landscape with greater speed, efficiency and confidence, while improving readiness for what comes next. The Place for Lending Visionaries and Thought Leaders. My Mortgage Mindset take you beyond the latest news and trends to help you grow your lending business.

Industry watch: Newrez, NAMB, BAC and others make notable announcements. Newrez announced it is targeting a February launch to recognize cryptocurrency assets for mortgage qualification across its Smart Series suite of non-qualified mortgage (non-QM) products. The Pennsylvania-based lender and servicer claimed in a press release to be the first company among the top 25 lenders in the country to allow crypto assets to be used without prior liquidation for loan qualification. A company spokesperson noted in an email to Scotsman Guide that there will be an adjusted market valuation applied to eligible crypto holdings to "reflect the behaviors of the individual crypto assets to ensure that we are recognizing them while applying prudent lending standards that account for market volatility." Types of crypto assets that will be eligible under the Newrez offering include bitcoin, ethereum, exchange-traded funds backed by bitcoin or ethereum that have received Securities and Exchange Commission approval, and U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins. Newrez also announced a strategic investment in mortgage technology firm HomeVision to develop an AI-powered underwriting platform. Building on their current use of HomeVision's MIRA technology for collateral reviews, the companies aim to create an industry-first, end-to-end solution that automates income, asset and credit underwriting. The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) and the Broker Action Coalition (BAC) announced they will co-host an advocacy summit in Washington, D.C., on April 20-22, marking the first time the mortgage trade groups have collaborated on a joint event. Titled "Advocacy in Action: Better Together," the event will let attendees engage face to face with members of Congress and their staff to discuss issues impacting mortgage brokers and homebuyers. PNC Bank completed its acquisition of FirstBank, a transaction that expands PNC's retail and commercial banking network. The integration of FirstBank's operations is expected to bolster PNC's mortgage and consumer lending divisions in key growth markets, following regulatory approvals secured late last year. First Federal Bank announced a definitive agreement to acquire NOLA Lending Group, the mortgage division of New Orleans-based Fidelity Bank. The strategic acquisition expands the Florida-based bank's retail footprint into Louisiana and Mississippi while strengthening its existing operations in Florida. Ideal Mortgage, a Denver-based correspondent lender and brokerage, announced it has joined BlackFin Group's Preferred Partner network. The partnership allows Ideal Mortgage to leverage the management consulting firm's resources to support national expansion and operational scaling efforts as it seeks to grow its loan officer teams. Guild Mortgage selected the LoanBeam NQM platform from LoanLogics to automate income analysis for its non-QM portfolio. The platform uses artificial intelligence to convert borrower bank statements into structured data, a move intended to streamline the income verification process. Friday Harbor completed an integration with Fannie Mae's Income Calculator to enhance its AI-driven underwriting platform. The integration enables lenders to automate the calculation of qualifying income, particularly for complex self-employed and variable-income borrowers. Snapdocs announced a new integration with MeridianLink that enables lenders to originate and digitally close home equity lines of credit and home equity loans directly within the MeridianLink Consumer platform. The integration supports hybrid, e-note and fully remote online notarization closings. Titl, a Miami-based proptech firm, secured $2.5 million in seed funding led by Cofounders Capital and Fit Ventures. The company uses artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to automate title searches and property verification, aiming to significantly reduce research time while mitigating fraud risks.