Category: Top National News

National Mortgage News, Jan. 4, 2015–Finkelstein, Brad
Rather than relying on a formal marketing services agreement to get business, loan officers now have to prove that they can provide realty agents and consumers the best mortgage experience.

Inman News, Jan. 4, 2015–Buffini, Brian
The real estate market is always changing, and the growing reliance on technology in our industry makes it move even faster. Buyers and sellers search for homes and communicate differently than they did just two decades ago.

Bloomberg, Jan. 4, 2015–Miller, Rich
Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer sounds concerned that the central bank may lack some key tools needed both to prevent another financial crisis and to contain the fallout should one occur.

Reuters, Jan. 4, 2015–Mutikani, Lucia
U.S. manufacturing contracted further in December as lower oil prices undercut spending in the energy sector while construction spending fell in November for the first time in nearly 1-1/2 years, suggesting the economy ended 2015 with less momentum.

HousingWire, Jan. 4, 2015–Swanson, Brena
A federal judge tossed out Quicken Loans’ lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development that alleged the lender was being forced to make public admissions that were blatantly false, as well as pay a penalty or face legal action.

HousingWire, Dec. 29, 2015–Swanson, Brena
After a recent letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Mortgage Bankers Association released a response from CFPB Director Richard Cordray that should bring some much-needed clarity to the industry on the current expectations for lenders in implementing the new TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule.

MarketWatch, Dec. 31, 2015–Goldstein, Daniel
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau gave lenders a post-holiday present–telling anxious bankers that they wouldn’t be held liable for most minor errors in loan processing and paperwork under the new “Know Before You Owe” rule.

National Mortgage Professional, Dec. 29, 2015–Lykken, David
Independent mortgage bankers have become a critical component representing the interests of the industry. According to Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, IMBs are more important than ever-and their importance is continually growing.

Washington Post, Dec. 31, 2015–Orton, Kathy
Mortgage rates ended the year higher, according to the latest data released Thursday by Freddie Mac.

Forbes, Dec. 31, 2015–Woellert, Lorraine
Rates have had nowhere to go but up for a very long time, and they’ll probably continue to rise. A gradual increase shouldn’t have a serious impact on the housing market, though it could affect house hunters struggling with affordability, such as lower-income and first-time buyers.