Mortgage Daily, Aug. 2, 2017Last month’s government-insured reverse mortgage production was the slowest it has been since last year. But there was a year-over-year improvement.
Category: Top National News
DOJ Will Be Allowed to Join Ocwen’s Challenge to Constitutionality of CFPB
HousingWire, Aug. 3, 2017–Ben LaneOcwen Financial could soon get a big boost in its fight against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from a once-unlikely source–the Department of Justice.
Amid Affordability Worries, Mortgage Industry Moves to Ease Home Lending
Los Angeles Times, Aug. 4, 2017–Andrew KhouriChanges in the mortgage industry are afoot, with the goal of loosening some of the strict standards established after the subprime crisis–rules some blame for impeding sales.
Fannie Books Higher Quarterly Profit, to Send $3.1 Billion to U.S. Treasury
Reuters, Aug. 3, 2017–Richard LeongFannie Mae, the largest U.S. mortgage guarantor, said on Thursday its net income edged up to $3.2 billion in the second quarter from the previous quarter’s $2.8 billion due to higher credit-related income and investment gains.
Congress Wouldn’t Do It, So Fannie and Freddie Reformed Themselves
MarketWatch, Aug. 3, 2017–Andrea RiquierFresh language in the earnings releases reflects the desire of the regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to remind Congress of how precarious the state of affairs has become for the two. But it also serves as a reminder of how far the companies have come since their crisis-era bailout, not thanks to Congressional action, but in spite of its inaction.
Fannie Mae CEO: We’re Focused on Reducing Appraisal Turnaround Times
HousingWire, Aug. 3, 2017–Jacob GaffneyWhile the industry as a whole is rowing in the same direction, efforts to streamline the appraisal process, Timothy Mayopoulous said, is a step in the right direction for Fannie Mae, which earlier this year refined its appraisal policies, which reduced overall appraiser responsibilities.
Consumer Bankruptcies Down 2 Consecutive Months
Mortgage Daily, Aug. 3, 2017Total U.S. bankruptcies filed, including commercial and non-commercial filings, worked out to 61,366 during July, dropping from an upwardly revised 66,789 the prior month.
S&P: Residential Mortgage Servicing Could Be on the Edge of Glory
HousingWire, Aug. 3, 2017–Brena SwansonA new report from S&P Global Market Intelligence suggested that mortgage servicing companies may be poised for a turn toward stability and growth thanks to the regulatory controls put in place after the downturn.
Plans to Rethink America’s Malls Can’t Keep Up With Retail’s Collapse
Bloomberg, Aug. 3, 2017–Sarah MulhollandWith store closures accelerating, landlords are having to change course and find ways to create malleable space that can accommodate a revolving roster of tenants.
Five Questions Lenders Must Ask Before Offering 1% Down Mortgages
National Mortgage News, Aug. 7, 2017–Bonnie SinnockAfter Freddie Mac recently took steps to curb 1 percent down mortgages, new questions are emerging about how much risk the industry, and borrowers, should take with these products.
