Industry Briefs, Sept. 9, 2025
(Image courtesy of Markus Winkler via pexels.com)
MeridianLink to Be Acquired by Centerbridge Partners
MeridianLink, Costa Mesa, Calif., has announced it will be acquired by Centerbridge Partners, New York, in an all-cash transaction that values the firm at an enterprise value of about $2 billion.
Upon the transaction’s closing, MeridianLink will become a private company.
MeridianLink shareholders will receive $20 per share in cash for each share of common stock. The purchase price represents a premium of about 26% over the closing price of the firm’s shares as of Aug. 8, 2025.
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Proof Launches The Trust Ledger, a Transaction and Identity Fraud Bulletin
Proof, (formerly known as Notarize), Boston, recently released The Trust Ledger, its first-ever transaction and identity fraud bulletin.
The Trust Ledger reveals how AI, data breaches and digital impersonation are redefining the rules of engagement for businesses and consumers alike. Drawing from frontline data and industry insights, it examines the threat landscape and what it will take to restore trust in a world where identity is easier than ever to fake.
Click here for more information and to watch an executive webinar with Proof CEO Pat Kinsel, CISO John Heasman, Vice President Darren Louie and Will Charnley, COO of Proof’s industry partner, Liminal, discussing the topics in the report.
Click n’ Close Launches SmartBuy 5/1 ARM DPA Product
Click n’ Close, Addison, Texas, has launched its SmartBuy 5/1 ARM Down Payment Assistance product, designed for builders to help address affordability concerns and promote new home sales.
It combines a competitive ARM first mortgage with a repayable second mortgage that can be applied to down payments, closing costs, prepaids or rate buydowns.
The new offering builds on Click n’ Close’s previous down payment assistance programs.
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Blue Sage Solutions Introduces AI Sales Agent
Blue Sage Solutions, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., has rolled out an AI Sales Agent. It’s voice- and text-enabled and built natively into the Blue Sage Digital lending platform.
It can help streamline how loan officers work, using natural language to create contacts, retrieve loan information, run borrower scenarios and send emails instantly. It boasts real-time voice recognition and intent resolution, advanced speech synthesis and streamlined AI training workflows.
The AI Sales Agent is being tested with select clients and is expected to be generally available later this year.
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Pennymac Rolls Out Non-QM Offerings
PennyMac Financial Services, Westlake Village, Calif., announced its Correspondent Group is launching a new suite of non-qualified mortgage products on Sept. 22.
They include a debt service coverage ratio product, which qualifies a loan based on the property’s cash flow rather than the borrower’s personal income. There are also A+, A and A- products, designed for creditworthy borrowers who have non-traditional income profiles.
They’re all designed to serve self-employed professionals, entrepreneurs, real estate investors and other creditworthy borrowers and will provide lenders with flexibility on both borrower qualifications and loan structure. Income documentation options include full documentation, streamlined (12 months), bank statement, asset depletion, asset qualifier, 1099 and verbal verification of employment.
Eligible borrowers include first-time homebuyers, first-time investors and non-permanent residents.
The initial rollout for the products will be for delegated correspondent sellers on a best-effort basis, and non-QM products will be made available through Pennymac TPO beginning in Q4.
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Friday Harbor Announces Integration With ICE Mortgage Technology
Friday Harbor, Seattle, announced a new integration with the Encompass loan origination system from ICE Mortgage Technology, Atlanta.
The integration, built using ICE’s Developer Connect API framework, will allow seamless use of Friday Harbor within the Encompass environment.
Originators can use Friday Harbor’s AI-powered originator assistant to automatically evaluate borrower documents, flag underwriting issues and resolve conditions.
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