Loan Mods Plunge at Largest National Banks

National Mortgage News, Jan. 4, 2017–Collins, Brian
National banks have experienced a dramatic drop in loan modification activity over the past year, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Walter Investment Sells Insurance Agency to Assurant

National Mortgage News, Jan. 4, 2017–Passy, Jacob
Walter Investment Management Corp. has agreed to sell Green Tree Insurance Agency to a wholly owned subsidiary of insurance company Assurant.

Fannie Announces M.I. Updates

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 4, 2017
Updates address 2 acquisitions, PMIERs financial requirements.

This Chart Proves Borrowers Keep Getting Better at Paying Their Mortgage

HousingWire, Jan. 4, 2017
The trend isn’t letting up as borrowers once again prove they are getting better at paying their mortgage on time, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s 2016 third-quarter report on mortgages.

Ohio Becomes First State to Ban Plywood on Vacant Properties

HousingWire, Jan. 5, 2017–Lane, Ben
The fight against neighborhood blight took a giant step forward this week, as Ohio just became the first state to ban the use of plywood on vacant and abandoned properties.

Over $300 Million in HELOCs Sold

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 5, 2017
The transaction was announced Thursday by Mortgage Industry Advisory Corp., which placed the loans through its whole-loan desk.

Vacancy Rates Rise at Shopping Centers

Wall Street Journal, Jan. 6, 2017–Fung, Esther
Vacancy rates in community shopping centers increased in 30 of 77 U.S. metro areas last year, compared with 24 in 2015 and 19 in 2014, according to data from real estate researcher Reis Inc.

Foreclosures Plummet, But Evictions Zoom

UExpress, Jan. 6, 2017–Sichelman, Lew
The foreclosure crisis that hurt so many homeowners may be waning, but now, more and more renters are facing eviction.

Credit Risk Transfer in a New World–The Waterfall of Risk Falls Squarely on Private Capital!

GoRion, Jan. 6, 2017–Schwartz, Faith
The call for a liquid safe and sound secondary mortgage market system should “Trump” any variations that do not ensure this is the case. And the GSE’s and FHFA have created the path forward on how to integrate CRT into the many variations of reform we may see in the upcoming administration.