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REFINANCE ACTIVITY UP AGAIN DURING FOURTH QUARTER DESPITE BROADER U.S. DOWNTURN IN HOME MORTGAGES

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Home Loans Shrink 3 Percent Quarterly as Interest Rates Climb and Sales Listings Remain Low;Purchase and Home-Equity Lending Dips While Refinance Deals Increase Again;Total Activity Still Down 60 Percent from 2021 Peak

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its fourth-quarter 2024 U.S. Residential Property Mortgage Origination Report, which shows that 1.64 million mortgages secured by residential property (1 to 4 units) were issued in the United States during the fourth quarter. That was down 3 percent quarterly but up 14 percent from a year earlier.

The quarterly drop-off – after increases earlier in 2024 – came as mortgage rates rose, supplies of residential properties for sale remained near five-year lows and the home-buying market hit its usual Fall slow season. Despite the annual gain in lending activity, the total number of home mortgages issued during the fourth quarter of last year remained down by nearly two-thirds from a high point hit in 2021.

The latest trend resulted from declines in purchase and home-equity lending tempered by an increase in refinance packages.

Lending to home buyers shrank 7.5 percent from the third to the fourth quarter of 2024, to about 732,000, while the number of home equity credit lines dipped 11.6 percent, to roughly 267,000. Mortgage rollovers, however, increased for the third consecutive quarter, growing 6.4 percent to about 642,000.

Measured monetarily, lenders issued $568 billion worth of residential mortgages in the fourth quarter of 2024. That was up 1.4 percent from the third quarter of 2024 and 26.3 percent from the fourth quarter of 2023.

The mixed pattern of ups and downs among various loan types raised the portion of all residential mortgages represented by refinance deals, while lowering the purchase and home-equity loan components. Nevertheless, purchase loans once again stood as the most common form of mortgages around the U.S. during the fourth quarter, comprising almost half.

“The in-boxes of mortgage lenders emptied out a bit during the Fall of 2024 following a couple of strong quarters that had pointed to a possible revival for the industry. Things slowed down as the market remained tight and the cost of borrowing went back, all during the usual annual home-buying lull,” said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM. “One small surprise emerged with refinancings increasing again despite rising interest rates. That may have happened because rates started the quarter at one of the more attractive points over the past few years, suggesting that homeowners were trying to get their mortgages reset before borrowing costs went back up.”

He added that “forces remain in places for lending to remain slow. But the fallback was modest, and the trend should turn back around to some degree over the coming months as the weather warms and home buying heats back up, especially if mortgage rates settle down.”

Total lending ticks downward, still less than half of 2021 high points
Banks and other lenders issued a total of 1,640,106 residential mortgages in the fourth quarter of 2024. That was down 3.3 percent from 1,695,915 in third quarter of 2024, although still up from 1,433,864 in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Total activity went down after two straight quarterly gains, keeping the latest count 60 percent beneath a recent high point of 4,135,893 reached in the first quarter of 2021 when average 30-year mortgages rate hovered around 3 percent.

A total of $568.5 billion was lent to homeowners and buyers in the fourth quarter of last year, up slightly from $560.7 billion in the prior quarter and from $450.2 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023. Still, it was less than half the peak of $1.3 trillion hit in 2021.

Overall lending activity followed downward quarterly and upward annual trends in a majority of metropolitan areas around the U.S. with enough data to analyze. The total decreased from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of last year in 132, or 65.3 percent, of the 202 metropolitan statistical areas that had a population of 200,000 or more and at least 1,000 total residential mortgages issued from October through December of 2024. It remained up from the fourth quarter of 2023 in 175, or 86.6 percent, of the metro areas analyzed.

The largest quarterly decreases came in St. Louis, MO (total lending down 31 percent from the third quarter of 2024 to the fourth quarter of 2024); Augusta, GA (down 23.4 percent); Savannah, GA (down 21 percent); Baton Rouge, LA (down 20.6 percent) and Beaumont, TX (down 20.1 percent).

Aside from St. Louis, metro areas with a population of least 1 million that had the biggest decreases in total loans from the third to the fourth quarter of 2024 were Atlanta, GA (down 18.9 percent); Rochester, NY (down 16.5 percent); Virginia Beach, VA (down 15.9 percent) and Tampa, FL (down 13 percent).

Metro areas with enough data to analyze where lending increased the most quarterly were Honolulu, HI (up 58.7 percent); Hilo, HI (up 51.8 percent); Hilton Head, SC (up 39.7 percent); Charleston, SC (up 26 percent) and Buffalo, NY (up 18.9 percent)

Measured annually, the largest increases in total lending among metro areas with a population of at least 1 million were in San Jose, CA (total lending up 78.1 percent from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the fourth quarter of 2024); Honolulu, HI (up 75 percent); Los Angeles, CA (up 43 percent); San Francisco, CA (up 40.7 percent) and San Diego, CA (up 40.1 percent).

Purchase mortgages decline amid tight market and slow buying season but remain most common loan
The decline in overall fourth-quarter lending activity was driven largely by the latest decrease in the number of mortgages issued to home buyers, which dropped to 731,517.

While lending to buyers remained up annually by 6.4 percent, the fourth-quarter total was off from 790,970 in the prior quarter. It also sat far below a 1.6 million highwater mark hit in the Spring of 2021.

The latest dollar volume of purchase loans, $289.7 billion, was 5.5 percent less than the $306.5 billion third-quarter level and 45.7 percent below a 2021 peak. Still, it was up 16.2 percent from the $249.3 billion amount loaned in late 2023.

Residential purchase-mortgage originations decreased quarterly in 79.7 percent of the 202 metro areas in the report while they were up annually in 70.3 percent of those markets.

The largest quarterly decreases were in St. Louis, MO (purchase loans down 36.2 percent from the third quarter of 2024 to the fourth quarter of 2024); Augusta, GA (down 31.1 percent); Baton Rouge, LA (down 30.4 percent); Atlanta, GA (down 27.9 percent) and Shreveport, LA (down 27.2 percent).

Aside from St. Louis and Atlanta, the biggest quarterly decreases in metro areas with a population of at least 1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 came in Virginia Beach, VA (down 21.4 percent); Minneapolis, MN (down 18.2 percent) and San Antonio, TX (down 17.4 percent).

The top annual increases in purchase lending in metro areas with a population of at least 1 million were in Honolulu, HI (up 113.5 percent from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the fourth quarter of 2024); San Jose, CA (up 50.2 percent); Birmingham, AL (up 42.1 percent); Portland, OR (up 41.8 percent) and Las Vegas, NV (up 39.1 percent).

Refinance activity up for third consecutive quarter
Despite interest rates rising during the fourth quarter of last year, the number of residential refinance mortgages issued by lenders climbed to 641,918. That was up from 603,324 in the prior three-month period and by 28.2 percent from 500,877 in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The recent increase marked the third quarterly gain in a row, reaching the highest point since mid-2022. Refinancing activity has gradually increased over the past two years following a spike in interest rates in 2021 and 2022 that caused mortgage rollovers to slump more than 80 percent.

The $228.5 billion dollar volume of refinance packages in the fourth quarter of 2024 remained significantly below a peak of $830.9 billion in 2021. But it was up 15.7 percent from $197.6 billion in the third quarter of last year and up 46.7 percent from $155.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Refinancing activity increased quarterly in 73.8 percent and annually in 93.1 percent of the metro areas around the U.S. with enough data to analyze.

The largest quarterly increases were in Hilton Head, SC (refinance loans up 56.4 percent from the third to the fourth quarter of 2024); Wilmington, NC (up 48.9 percent); San Jose, CA (up 43.8 percent); Buffalo, NY (up 41.9 percent) and San Francisco, CA (up 35.4 percent).

Aside from San Jose, San Francisco and Buffalo, metro areas with a population of least 1 million where refinance activity increased most quarterly were Denver, CO (up 23.9 percent) and Houston, TX (up 22.5 percent).

Metro areas with a population of least 1 million and the largest year-over-year increases in the number of refinance loans were San Jose, CA (up 170.6 percent from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the fourth quarter of 2024); San Francisco, CA (up 113.8 percent); Seattle, WA (up 86.8 percent); Los Angeles, CA (up 84.6 percent) and San Diego, CA (up 80.9 percent).

Refinance packages comprised 39.1 percent of all loan originations in the fourth quarter of 2024. That was up from 35.6 percent in the prior quarter to the highest level since early in 2022, but still not close to the 65.7 percent portion in 2021.

HELOC lending also down quarterly while up annually
As with overall lending, home-equity lines of credit (HELOCs) decreased quarterly but were higher annually. The latest total of 266,171 was off from 301,622 in the third quarter of 2024 while remaining up 8.6 percent from 245,518 in the last few months of 2023.

The $50.2 billion volume of HELOC loans in the fourth quarter of 2024 was down from $56.6 billion in the prior quarter but more than the $45 billion lent in the fourth quarter of 2023.

HELOCs comprised 16.3 percent of all loans in the most recent quarter. That was down from the 17.8 percent portion in the third quarter of 2024 but still almost four times the level recorded in 2021.

HELOC mortgage originations decreased from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2024 in 86.6 percent of the metro areas analyzed. The largest quarterly decreases in metro areas with a population of at least 1 million were in Atlanta, GA (down 53.3 percent); St. Louis, MO (down 40.3 percent); Virginia Beach, VA (down 28.9 percent); Houston, TX (down 27.7 percent) and Rochester, NY (down 25.2 percent).

FHA and VA mortgages grow as portion of all loans
Lenders issued 244,984 mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) during the fourth quarter of 2024, representing 14.9 percent of all residential property loans. That was up from 13.6 percent in the third quarter of last year although still down from 15.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Residential loans backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) totaled 106,900, or 6.5 percent of all residential property loans originated in the fourth quarter of 2024. That also was up, from 5.8 percent in the previous quarter as well as from 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Report methodology
ATTOM analyzed recorded mortgage and deed of trust data for single-family homes, condos, town homes and multi-family properties of two to four units for this report. Each recorded mortgage or deed of trust was counted as a separate loan origination. Dollar volume was calculated by multiplying the total number of loan originations by the average loan amount for those loan originations.

About ATTOM
ATTOM provides premium property data and analytics that power a myriad of solutions that improve transparency, innovation, digitization and efficiency in a data-driven economy. ATTOM multi-sources property tax, deed, mortgage, foreclosure, environmental risk, natural hazard, and neighborhood data for more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties covering 99 percent of the nation’s population. A rigorous data management process involving more than 20 steps validates, standardizes, and enhances the real estate data collected by ATTOM, assigning each property record with a persistent, unique ID — the ATTOM ID. The 30TB ATTOM Data Warehouse fuels innovation in many industries including mortgage, real estate, insurance, marketing, government and more through flexible data delivery solutions that include ATTOM Cloud, bulk file licenses, property data APIs, real estate market trends, property navigator and more. Also, introducing our newest innovative solution, making property data more readily accessible and optimized for AI applications – AI-Ready Solutions.

Media Contact:
Megan Hunt
Megan.hunt@attomdata.com

Data and Report Licensing:
949.502.8313
datareports@attomdata.com

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Capline Healthcare Management Expands RCM Support To 1,300+ Practices, Citing Rising Demand From Health Providers

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April 20, 2026

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The Houston-based company, founded in 2016 and BBB A+ accredited, says health providers are increasingly turning to third-parties to keep their revenue cycle running.

HOUSTON, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Capline Healthcare Management has crossed a significant operational threshold, supporting more than 1,300 independent medical practices across the United States. The Houston-based revenue cycle management firm says the growth is not incidental. It reflects a measurable and accelerating shift in how independent providers are choosing to manage their RCM operations amid rising payer complexity and shrinking administrative capacity.

Independent medical practices are under increasing pressure due to complex payer requirements, workforce shortages, reimbursement challenges, and growing administrative demands.

According to the American Medical Association, the number of physicians in private practice dropped from 60.1% in 2012 to 42.2% in 2024. Meanwhile, denial rates across commercial payers have climbed steadily, with some studies pointing to denial volumes increasing by as much as 20% over five years. This highlights how difficult it has become for many practices to maintain both quality care and financial stability.

According to Capline, these growing pressures are why many practices are turning to outside partners. They’re looking for experts who can bring order and consistency to their revenue cycle. Capline supports healthcare providers across the board, from billing and coding to eligibility checks, provider credentialing, follow-ups, and denial handling.

“Independent practices need more than basic billing help,” said Abhinav Rastogi, Founder, Capline Healthcare Management. “They need a revenue cycle partner that understands the details, works with discipline, and helps protect the financial health of the practice. Reaching 1,300+ supported practices is an important milestone for us because it reflects the trust providers place in our team and in the way we work.”

Unlike generalist billing vendors, Capline said its model focuses on practical execution across the full revenue cycle. That includes front-end work such as eligibility checks and credentialing, as well as back-end support such as claim follow-up, denial review, and accounts receivable management. Practices working with Capline gain a single operational partner rather than patching together multiple vendors. The goal is to help practices reduce delays, improve collections, and gain a clearer view of financial performance.

Our role is to help practices build a stronger financial foundation and that requires more than billing experience. It takes process discipline and a clear understanding of how every stage of the revenue cycle connects to the health of the whole organization,” said Sumeet Patney, Director at Capline Healthcare Management.

Looking ahead, he noted that Capline plans to expand its proprietary AI-driven analytics capabilities and invest further in its specialized billing and coding teams, building the infrastructure needed to accelerate growth well into 2027 and beyond.

About Capline Healthcare Management

Capline Healthcare Management is a Houston-based healthcare management company founded in 2016. Capline has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau and has HIPAA-compliant practices to ensure confidentiality and the privacy of sensitive healthcare data.

The company offers end-to-end RCM support and other back-office support services to healthcare practices in the United States. Its services include medical billing, coding, denial management, accounts receivable follow-up, eligibility verification, and provider credentialing. Capline specializes in assisting healthcare organizations to enhance financial performance, reduce administrative workload, and streamline practice operations for healthcare providers.

Across its supported healthcare practices, Capline reports an average first-pass claim acceptance rate of 96% and a denial resolution turnaround of 3 business days.

Practices that have transitioned to Capline’s full-cycle model report measurable reductions in AR aging and double-digit percentage gains in net collections, with several multi-physician groups seeing those results within the first two quarters of engagement.

“A multi-specialty practice working with Capline reported a reduction in claim denials of over 25% and an 18% improvement in collections turnaround time within six months.”

To learn more about Capline’s revenue cycle services, visit https://caplinehealthcaremanagement.com/.

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Liene Launches Mother’s Day Campaign Celebrating the Individuality of Moms with PixCut S1 Smart Printer

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April 20, 2026

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Celebrating Every Mother’s True Self Beyond the Role of a Mom

LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MOM is a title she earned, but it’s not the only story she owns. When a woman becomes a mom, some of her traits grow stronger, while others may be temporarily set aside. This Mother’s Day, Liene, a global leader in innovative smart printing solutions, today launches a campaign titled “Stick What Makes Her, HER”, celebrating the full and more authentic person behind every mom.

During this campaign, Liene teamed up with four real families to create heartfelt surprises for their moms. Each family used Liene’s PixCut S1 Smart Printer, the world’s first all-in-one photo printing and cutting machine for home use, to create custom stickers that honor a mother’s unique traits, passions, and hidden stories that make every mom an individual. Instead of praising “perfect mom”, Liene encourages people to see “the complete her”.

 

“Moms are often reduced to their role as caregivers, overshadowing the passions and personalities they carried before and continue to have alongside motherhood,” said Kim, Marketing Director of Liene, “With the PixCut S1, we want to give people a simple, joyful tool to say: ‘We love you not only for what you’ve done for us, but for exactly who you are.'”

PixCut: Stick What Makes Her, HER

Creating a heartfelt gift for mom is more achievable than you realize. With the PixCut S1, you can upload a cherished photo, a symbol of her favorite hobby, or a family moment that captures her essence. In just moments, the Liene app connects seamlessly to the printer, producing your design in vibrant, high-resolution 300 dpi. The process is smooth and effortless. If the design doesn’t quite look right in the preview, you can easily adjust it before printing to ensure it perfectly captures what makes your mom unique.

The PixCut S1 does more than just print. It combines AI-powered precision cutting into one machine, ensuring that each design is refined to perfection and delivers clean, detailed results with minimal waste, making the process as smooth and thoughtful as the gift itself. Additionally, the PixCut S1 uses thermal dye-sublimation technology to make every sticker waterproof, fade-resistant, and scratch-resistant, preserving the memories you create for years to come. Every creation becomes more than just a gift; it’s a lasting tribute to the mom you admire, celebrating her uniqueness and the love she shares.

Jenna, a daughter from one of the four families, is creating a personalized 3D photo book using the PixCut S1 to print stickers of her mother’s favorite video game character. “My mom loves video games,” Jenna said. “This year for Mother’s Day, I wanted to show my mom how cool her video game character is. Something so uniquely ‘my mom.'”

How to participate

In-Person Event: On Mother’s Day (May 10), Liene will host a pop-up activation at the Melrose Trading Post in Los Angeles from 10 AM to 5 PM. Visitors can print custom stickers for free, featuring their mom’s favorite things, to personalize any gift they bring. An artist KOL will also be on-site to offer crafting guidance.Online Participation: From April 25 to May 9, families are encouraged to record their mom’s reaction when she receives the sticker-decorated gift. Share the video on social media with #StickWhatMakesHerHer #PixCutS1, and tag @lienephotoprinter (on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok) or @LienePhoto (on Facebook). Participants will have a chance to win a free Liene Pearl N200 Pro Portable Photo Printer, plus a special mystery gift.

Mother’s Day Discount

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Liene is offering Top 35% off on any product from May 4 to 10. Just click here to go to Liene’s official Amazon store and order the best gift!

Media contacts
Liene
liene.service@liene-life.com 

Media Resources
https://youtu.be/I5-lXN5H3PU

About Liene

Established in 2017, Liene was born from a deep belief in the enduring power of printed memories. Our journey is fueled by the desire to empower you to capture and preserve life’s most beautiful moments through our innovative photo printers.Liene photo printers are renowned for their exceptional print quality, whether it’s color reproduction, clarity, or detail. Designed with user convenience in mind, our printers offer smart connectivity features that make printing photos directly from a variety of devices quick and easy. Join us as we weave your digital memories into tangible treasures that you can touch, share, and hold close to your heart.

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In HelloNation, Property Management Expert Jennifer Oliver Highlights When to Hire a Property Manager

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April 20, 2026

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The article examines how growing demands in rental ownership can signal the need for more structured support and improved efficiency.

DETROIT, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — When should rental owners recognize that managing their properties alone is no longer sustainable? The answer is explored in a HelloNation article featuring Jennifer Oliver of Elite Real Estate Professionals that outlines how increasing demands can signal the need for property management and more consistent systems.

 

The HelloNation article explains that many property owners in Detroit, MI, begin their real estate investment journey with a hands-on approach. Early stages of rental property management often feel manageable, with owners handling leasing, property maintenance, and tenant communication directly. Over time, however, these responsibilities tend to grow and become more complex.

A key early indicator discussed is time pressure. The article notes that when daily property management tasks begin to interfere with schedules, it can lead to missed communications and slower responses. These small disruptions may affect tenant satisfaction and signal that support is needed.

Property maintenance is another area where strain often becomes clear. Coordinating repairs, managing vendors, and ensuring quality outcomes requires consistent attention. The article describes how inconsistent property maintenance can frustrate tenants, which may increase tenant turnover and create additional operational challenges.

Vacancy trends also provide valuable insight into performance. The article explains that extended vacancy periods may indicate issues with pricing, marketing, or tenant screening. Structured rental property management systems can help reduce vacancy by improving how quickly units are filled and how effectively listings reach qualified tenants.

Financial organization is equally important. The article emphasizes that accurate rent tracking and expense monitoring are essential to evaluating a real estate investment. When rent tracking becomes inconsistent or unclear, it limits an owner’s ability to make informed decisions about property performance and future planning.

The HelloNation article further explains that as workloads increase, owners often shift away from long term planning. Instead of focusing on improvements or expansion, time is spent addressing daily concerns. This shift can slow the growth of a real estate investment and reduce overall efficiency in rental property management.

Tenant relationships are also impacted by inconsistent processes. The article notes that without clear systems for screening, leasing, and communication, small issues can escalate. This can contribute to higher tenant turnover, affecting both stability and income for the property.

Local conditions in Detroit add another layer of responsibility. Regulations, inspections, and neighborhood trends require ongoing attention. The article highlights that keeping up with these factors while managing property maintenance and rent tracking can become difficult without structured property management support.

Growth further increases complexity. Managing multiple units requires coordination across maintenance, communication, and financial tracking. The article explains that rental property management becomes more system driven as portfolios expand, making professional support more valuable in reducing vacancy and maintaining consistency.

The article concludes that recognizing when demands outweigh the benefits of self management is an important step. When time constraints, rising tenant turnover, and inconsistent rent tracking begin to impact results, property management can help improve both efficiency and long term outcomes.

How Do Detroit Rental Owners Know It’s Time to Hire a Property Manager? features insights from Jennifer Oliver, Property Management Expert of Detroit, MI, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused digital publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers expert-driven, good-news content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities. HelloNation maintains partnerships with the National Governors Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the United States First Responders Association.

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