The Lede

SAN DIEGO--The Mortgage Bankers Association released its year-end ranking of commercial and multifamily mortgage servicers' volumes as of December 31.

SAN DIEGO--The Mortgage Bankers Association said 6 percent, or $102.2 billion, of the $1.8 trillion outstanding commercial and multifamily mortgages held by non-bank lenders and investors will mature in 2018, a 42 percent decrease from $175.9 billion in 2017.

DALLAS--Your borrowers are watching, says Joseph Dombrowski, Director of Product Management & Chief Mortgage Strategist with Fiserv, Brookfield, Wis.

DALLAS--Your borrowers are watching, says Joseph Dombrowski, Director of Product Management & Chief Mortgage Strategist with Fiserv, Brookfield, Wis.

DALLAS--Your borrowers are watching, says Joseph Dombrowski, Director of Product Management & Chief Mortgage Strategist with Fiserv, Brookfield, Wis.

The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties increased to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.17 percent of all loans outstanding at the end of the fourth quarter, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported yesterday.

Ahead of the Mortgage Bankers Association' National Delinquency Survey release, ATTOM Data Solutions, Irvine, Calif., said 9.3 percent of all U.S. properties with a mortgage were seriously underwater (LTV of 125+) at the end of the fourth quarter, down from 9.6 percent a year ago.

Loan application defects, fraud and misrepresentation increased by more than 20 percent in 2017, and that figure could rise in 2018 as mortgage interest rates rise, said First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency yesterday published a final rule that establishes new housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for 2018 through 2020.

MBA Education presents its Advance Servicing Workshop in Phoenix Apr. 4-5.

MBA Education presents a webinar, Tax Reform: Important Considerations for Mortgage Companies, on Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 12, 2018Mortgage servicing rights are being offered on 4,263 Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae loans with a collective unpaid principal balance of $773 million as of Dec. 29.

HousingWire, Feb. 12, 2018--Ben LaneOtto Kumbar was, until last week, Ocwen's executive vice president of lending, but Ocwen disclosed Monday that Kumbar's position was eliminated "in connection with the company's previously disclosed strategic assessment of its lending business."

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 12, 2018The latest request for information from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau marks the third in the past month as the Trump administration continues to reduce regulation on financial services providers.

Bloomberg, Feb. 12, 2018--Joe LightIn its 2019 spending plan released Monday, the administration asked Congress to raise the fees Fannie and Freddie charge to back payments on mortgage-backed securities by 0.1 percentage point, a move it said would reduce the federal budget deficit by $25.7 billion over the next decade.

HousingWire, Feb. 12, 2018--Ben Lane"If there is one way to summarize the strategic changes occurring at the bureau, it is this: we have committed to fulfill the bureau's statutory responsibilities, but go no further," Mulvaney said in a statement.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 12, 2018--John Heltman, Ian McKendry (subscription)The Trump administration's 2019 budget highlights the administration's goal of reining in the post-crisis regulatory apparatus, with proposed cuts for several agencies including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

DS News, Feb. 12, 2018--David WhartonAccording to the MBA Fourth Quarter 2017 National Delinquency Survey, general downward trends for mortgage delinquencies continued as 2017 wrapped up, even after the impact of a historically damaging hurricane season.

Bloomberg, Feb. 9, 2018--Robert Schmidt, Jesse HamiltonAs the 10th anniversary of the financial crisis approaches, many of the restrictions put in place to rein in Wall Street risk-taking are quietly being unwound.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 9, 2018New mortgage activity moved higher this week, and refinances saw the biggest gain. Cashouts accounted for a bigger share of business than during any week on record.

HousingWire, Feb. 9, 2018--Ben LaneWith the bankruptcy now in the rearview mirror, Walter Investment is changing its name to Ditech Holding Corp., adopting the name of its prominent subsidiary Ditech Financial.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 9, 2018--AnnaMaria Andriotis (subscription)Equifax said, in a document submitted to the Senate Banking Committee and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, that cyberthieves accessed records across numerous tables in its systems that included such data as tax identification numbers, email addresses and drivers' license information beyond the license numbers it originally disclosed.

HousingWire, Feb. 9, 2018--Joseph DeStasioThe author, who spoke at the recent MBA National Servicing Conference, says it's time we change the conversation and recognize that people matter. Talented, happy team members create happy customers. And, when this focus is partnered with the right technology, the industry will finally be able to see some real change.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 8, 2018--Brian Collins (subscription)The House passed a bill Thursday that would loosen regulatory restrictions on the mortgage points and fees charged by lender-affiliated title insurers and other companies.

Bloomberg, Feb. 8, 2018--Joe LightNine lenders have been warned by Ginnie Mae that they will be kicked out of a top mortgage program within months unless they find ways to stop costly rapid refinances of veterans' loans.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 8, 2017Home-lending activity slowed at PennyMac Financial Services Inc. But the company reported growth in both its servicing and staffing.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 8, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (free story)To put it mildly, 2017 - with three major hurricanes, wildfires and other extraordinary events - was a living stress test of servicers' and government agencies' preparedness plans for helping borrowers in damage zones. Their coordinated responses appear to have improved from past natural disasters, industry and government representatives said Wednesday during panel discussions at the Mortgage Bankers Association Servicing Conference in Dallas.

Bloomberg, Feb. 8, 2018--Prashant GopalThe share of borrowers who are late on their Federal Housing Administration loans, which primarily go to first-time homebuyers, rose to 10.4 percent in the fourth quarter from 9 percent a year earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 7, 2018Genworth Financial Inc.'s mortgage insurance unit saw increased income despite higher delinquency and losses at its parent. New business fell, but the book of business expanded.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 7, 2018American Advisors Group, the country's largest originator of federally insured reverse mortgages has begun offering traditional mortgages for its mostly older customers.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 7, 2018--Ian McKendry (subscription)If Congress can't get a housing finance reform bill passed by the midterm elections, the Trump administration and Federal Housing Finance Agency may chart a future for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac without lawmakers' input.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 7 2018--Austin Kilgore (free story)Mortgage servicers should approach efforts to overhaul their compensated structure with caution, as changes to the status quo "could have ripple effects across the entire real estate finance industry," warned Mortgage Bankers Association Chairman David Motley, CMB.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 6, 2018--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)The largest lenders and servicers have long dominated the mortgage industry, but it's gradually becoming easier for small and midsize companies to do business with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

HousingWire, Feb. 6, 2018--Caroline BasileU.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told members of the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday he is interested in how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its acting director, Mick Mulvaney, is handling the investigation into the data breach at credit agency Equifax.