R
ocket Mortgage has fired back at the Justice Department's lawsuit alleging appraisal bias, filing a counterclaim against the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The nation's top lender claims it was unfairly included in the DOJ's October lawsuit, which stemmed from a complaint by Colorado homeowner Francesca Cheroutes. Cheroutes alleged that local appraiser Maksym Mykhailyna undervalued her home due to its "Black Lives Matter" sign, reducing its value from $860,000 to $640,000.

    Rocket Mortgage claims it cannot exert control over the appraisal process, as government regulations prohibit it from doing so. The company also argues that it followed the rules and law in handling Cheroutes' refinancing application after she refused to accept a loan based on the lower appraisal value. Rocket's president, Bill Emerson, expressed support for an investigation into the appraiser's actions but maintained that his company was simply following the law.

    Rocket Mortgage is seeking dismissal of the DOJ's case against it and has filed its own lawsuit against HUD, arguing that its inclusion in the original action was unjustified.