Legacy Foreclosures Hide Mortgage Successes

OurBroker.com, Jan. 16, 2017–Miller, Peter G.
The latest foreclosure numbers understate some very good real estate news. First, the 2016 foreclosure figures wildly overstate the current condition of the real estate marketplace. It’s much better than the numbers suggest,

MSRs Being Auctioned on $1.4 Billion in GSE Loans

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 13, 2017
Mortgage servicing rights on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages with an aggregate outstanding principal balance of $1.45 billion are being offered for sale.

Trump’s Plan for Looser Housing Rules Likely to Include Mortgage Changes

Washington Examiner, Jan. 17, 2017–Lawler, Joseph
HUD Secretary nominee Ben Carson’s comments last week that burdensome regulatory and legal actions over the past five-plus years has left banks reluctant to extend credit was “helpful,” said MBA President and CEO David Stevens.

NJ Bank is First to Fail in 2017

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 16, 2017
On Friday, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance reported that it seized and closed down Harvest Community Bank.

The Future of Fannie & Freddie Under Trump

Marketplace, Jan. 3, 2017–Hartman, Mitchell
One complicated legacy of the housing bust could finally be dealt with under the incoming Trump administration and Republican Congress: resolving the fate of the so-called government-sponsored enterprises: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Making Banks Safer Waits for Another Day

Wall Street Journal, Jan. 3, 2017–Davies, Paul J.
U.S. and European banks have long had their differences, nowhere more so than over how much capital they need to stay safe.

Offering Could Yield MSRs on Up to $1 Bil in Loans

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 3, 2017
A new offering could provide the successful bidder with mortgage servicing rights on as much as $1 billion in government-sponsored enterprise loans.

Housing Market Regains All Value Lost in Crisis

National Mortgage Professional, Jan. 3, 2017–Hall, Phil
The total value of the U.S. housing stock grew to a record-high $29.6 trillion in 2016, according to data released by Zillow.