When Rocket Companies and Zillow find themselves in the crosshairs of federal litigation over alleged referral kickbacks, the industry takes notice. As the headlines fixate on the big players, a quieter anxiety is building among independent mortgage bankers (IMBs) and smaller lenders who lack the firepower to go toe-to-toe in a prolonged legal battle. The…

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Above, Bess Freedman, left and Michele Harrington Brown Harris Stevens (BHS) and FirstTeam®—based in New York City and Southern California, respectively—today announced what they are describing as a multi-year marketing partnership meant to “unite” the two storied independents from coast to coast. Focused on “cross-marketing initiatives, advertising, public relations, networking, and shared insights,” company executives…

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