podcast, our Data Reports, the "A Tale of Two Mortgages" webcomic, and LodeStar Report Newsletter.
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Data Reports
2025 Refinance Mortgage Closing Cost Data Report
The national average total closing costs for a purchase mortgage transaction were $2,403. This amount consists of a national average of 0.72% of the home sales price.
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Lending Leaders
How to Invest in Creativity
This one’s all about keeping creativity alive, even and especially when the market is uncertain. LodeStar’s Director of Revenue, Alayna Gardner, chats with Marketing Content Manager Tim Austen to discuss creativity, and how to invest in it—no matter what’s happening in the industry.
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A Tale of Two Mortgages
Did Ya Lock Yet?
Horace confronts the uncertainty of the present market…
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Loan Estimate Challenges
Connecticut’s Biggest LE Challenges
Connecticut is one of the nation’s 22 states or districts that require an attorney’s involvement in residential real estate purchase transactions.
Lending Leaders
Viewing Challenges as Opportunities
For this week’s episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders podcast, Alayna talks with SimpleNexus CTO Lori Brewer about women in STEM and the impact that unforeseen challenges can have on your career.
A Tale of Two Mortgages
“Good for Them”
Horace and Octavia discuss their borrowers “capitalizing on current market volatility.”
Deeper Thoughts
It’s All About Culture
Building business cultures based upon equity, respect, trust, diversity and clarity is yet another example in which doing the right thing is also the best business decision.
Lending Leaders
Recapping ICE Encompass Experience 2023
For this week’s LLL, Jim and Alayna sit down back at LodeStar HQ to recap their experience exhibiting at ICE Experience 2023 in Las Vegas.
Deeper Thoughts
Thoughts on the Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
As we explored more deeply our potential relationship, I was struck by how densely concentrated SVB’s investments were. The focus was on high-value, high-yield businesses. That’s great when everything’s going well. But with high wealth comes high risk.
Lending Leaders
The Irreplaceable Value of Mentorship
For this week’s episode of the LodeStar Lending Leaders Podcast, Jim sits down with Michele Kryczkowski, a passionate advocate of mentorships with twenty years of mortgage industry experience.