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- Newrez to allow crypto assets in mortgage qualification
Newrez to allow crypto assets in mortgage qualification
Plus: Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman steps down after 20 years
šŖ Welcome back! Today's newsletter is 700 words, a 2.5-minute read. Letās dive inā¦
Disclaimer: Average mortgage rates as of January 13, 2026. Ā© MND Daily Rate Index.
1. Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman steps down after 20 years
After 20 years at the helm, Glenn Kelman is stepping down as CEO of Redfin. Varun Krishna, CEO of Rocket Companies, will serve as interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement. Kelman announced the move on LinkedIn Tuesday.
Kelman said his last day in the office will be Friday, January 16, though he will remain available to support both Rocket and Redfin through April 1. The decision comes six months after Rocket closed its $1.75 billion acquisition of Redfin.
āAfter 20 years, Iām leaving Redfin. I gave it my all! Leaving was my decision. I love my colleagues. We saved consumers a billion dollars in commissions. I hope to use all that I learned to do something as good as Redfin, in a different field. Iām grateful to Rocket and its CEO, Varun Krishna, for helping us play to win. Iām grateful to Redfin customers.ā
2. NAMB urges FHA to end lifetime mortgage insurance rule
The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) is urging the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to end its ālife-of-loanā mortgage insurance rule and allow borrowers to cancel mortgage insurance premiums once their loan reaches 78% of the homeās value.
Under existing FHA rules, many homeowners must continue paying mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) for the entire life of the loan, even after paying down a significant portion of the principal.
The association is asking the FHA to reinstate its previous policy, which allowed borrowers to stop paying MIP once their loan-to-value (LTV) ratio reached 78%.
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3. More Nuggets
āøļø Trump pauses 50-year mortgage plan. (TheHill)
š JPMorgan Chase mortgage originations rose 29% in 2025. (HousingWire)
š¤ Snapdocs integrates with MeridianLinkās LOS for home equity loans. (Snapdocs)
š¬ Bill Ackman urges Trump to cut mortgage rates by adding prepayment penalties. (X)
4. Newrez to allow crypto assets in mortgage qualification
Newrez plans to recognize cryptocurrency assets in the mortgage qualification process without requiring borrowers to liquidate their holdings, the company announced Tuesday.
The option will be available in February across the lenderās non-agency Smart Series product suite.
According to Newrez, while assets such as stocks and bonds are commonly considered in mortgage underwriting without liquidation, many lenders still require applicants to sell crypto holdings, limiting their financial flexibility. Under the new policy, eligible crypto assets may be used for income estimation and asset verification, giving borrowers more flexibility in qualifying for a loan.
5. MeridianLink, Optimal Blue strike integration deal
MeridianLink and Optimal Blue announced last week that they have reached an agreement to integrate their technology platforms, with the joint solution expected to be available to customers in early 2026.
Under the partnership, MeridianLinkās loan origination system users will gain access to Optimal Blueās real-time product, pricing, and eligibility (PPE) engine.
JP Kelly, Senior Vice President at MeridianLink Mortgage, said the deal came together through close collaboration between the teams, who share a common goal of eliminating unnecessary friction in the mortgage origination process.
āļø Youāre all caught up. See you on Friday!
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