The FHLB System Needs to Be Inclusive

National Mortgage News, Feb. 11, 2016–Stevens, David
MBA President and CEO says given the exclusivity of its members, the Federal Home Loan Bank system is failing to serve the marketplace as well as it could.

‘We Are Running Under the Radar’: Morgan Stanley in $3.2 Billion Mortgage-Bond Pact

Bloomberg, Feb. 11, 2016–Smythe, ChristieMorgan Stanley agreed to pay $3.2 billion to end a joint federal-state investigation into its handling of mortgage-backed securities, the fourth deal to be struck in a probe of the big U.S. banks’ role in the subprime mortgage meltdown and the financial crisis it spawned.

‘Shame’ Real Estate Website Targets Banks Handling Stalled Foreclosures

Buffalo News, Feb. 11, 2016–Glynn, Matt
A newly launched website has some features of a conventional real estate website, but with a twist. But the descriptions take to task banks the site claims drag out the foreclosure process – sometimes for years–and prevent the properties from going back on the market.

Redwood Trust Shifts Away from Fannie, Freddie Conforming Loans

HousingWire, Feb. 11, 2016–Lane, Ben
Seeking to rid itself of two business segments that are dragging on the real estate investment trust’s bottom line, Redwood Trust announced recently that it will be discontinuing the acquisition and aggregation of conforming loans for sale to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and will also discontinue commercial loan originations for distribution in commercial mortgage-backed securities.

U.S. Fed Buys $6.6 Bln of Mortgage Bonds, Sells None

Reuters, Feb. 11, 2016
The Federal Reserve bought $6.582 billion of agency mortgage-backed securities last week, but sold no securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae.

Want a Mortgage? Borrow Big; It’s Cheaper

WTOP (Washington, D.C.), Feb. 10, 2016–Clabaugh, Jeff
Mortgage rates show no signs of heading higher. Indeed, with 10-year Treasury yields falling, long-term mortgage rates have been moving lower in recent weeks.

Arch MI Underwriting Income Up More than 140% in 2015

National Mortgage News, Feb. 10, 2016–Finkelstein, Brad
Arch Capital Group’s mortgage insurance segment, which covers both primary and reinsurance operations, had underwriting income of $64.8 million in 2015. This is an increase of more than 140% from the $26.4 million of underwriting income recorded in 2014.