Finally: $8.5B Countrywide Mortgage Bond Settlement Gets Green Light

HousingWire, May 13, 2016–Lane, Ben
Ending a legal quagmire that stretched back to 2011, investors are finally set to receive their money from an $8.5 billion settlement involving Bank of America, mortgages originated by its Countrywide unit, and the Bank of New York Mellon, which acted as the trustee for the mortgage bond investors.

Mortgage REITs: The Risks Behind the Rally

Barron’s May 14, 2016–Stone, Amey
Mortgage real estate investment trusts have enjoyed a stunning three-month run for an obscure, underfollowed corner of finance. They are up 22 percent since mid-February, buoyed by stronger credit markets, a Federal Reserve that seems likely to keep rates lower for longer and a nod from bond king Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Capital at a recent hedge fund conference.

Goldman Subsidiary Wins Latest Fannie NPL Sale

National Mortgage News, May 13, 2016–Passy, Jacob
A subsidiary of Goldman Sachs was the winner for all four pools in Fannie Mae’s latest nonperforming loan sale.

Bets on Fannie and Freddie Get Help From Lobbyists

Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2016–Light, Joe
Hedge funds that have bet hundreds of millions of dollars on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s stock aren’t just leaving the fate of their investment to Wall Street. A group of hedge funds, including Paulson & Co. and Perry Capital LLC, is helping to finance a lobbying campaign to lift government controls on what happens with the mortgage giants’ profits.

Foreclosure Starts Fall to Lowest Level Since 2000: MBA

National Mortgage News, May 12, 2016–Passy, Jacob
Foreclosures continued to decrease in the first quarter, while delinquencies remained flat from the previous quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage REITs: Juicy Dividends and Ace Charts

Barrons, May 12, 2016–Kahn, Michael 
Unlike the rest of the stock market, mortgage REITs did not recover from the financial crisis bear market. But the sector has rallied nicely since January and this week exceeded the March 2009 low.

Mortgage Delinquencies Don’t Sync With Q1 Trends

DS News, May 11, 2016–Honea, Brian
Delinquent Notice BHSerious delinquencies on credit cards and auto loans rose in Q1 to levels not seen in the first quarter in the last three years, largely due to the oil slump that impacted the economy in energy-sector states such North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas, according to TransUnion.

Mortgage Fraud? Not On Your Life, Quicken CEO Says

DS News, May 10, 2016–West, Xhevrije
Quicken Loans, the largest Federal Housing Administration lender in the country, is standing its ground in a government lawsuit for allegedly knowingly submitting claims  for hundreds of improperly underwritten FHA-insured loans.