On May 8, four men were convicted in a California court of defrauding hundreds of victims in a real estate scam that included fraudulently collecting upfront fees for loan modification services.

An effective client management system can help the process following an initial counseling session.

Small and midsize financial institutions and nonbanks look to steady their income stream by retaining servicing in lieu of servicing release premiums.

We're hearing from a lot of mortgage originators that read my blog last week about the need to better measure borrower satisfaction with the mortgage process.

The message: "Let me help you grow your business."

At the end of the day, the debate over the future of the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac boils down to one question: What is the appropriate role for government in housing finance?

We're hearing some institutional investors like a home equity sharing product that serves as a partial downpayment for consumers in return for a share of the home’s appreciation over time.

Reflecting on the industry forecast offered by Mortgage Bankers Association economists Jay Brinkmann and Michael Fratantoni, three different images are coming to mind.

We're hearing that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be issuing new guidance on loan officer compensation in June.

A 100% free solution to a big lender-appraiser dilemma.

It appears that one of the chief enforcement tools of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the use of the horizontal audit.

If Washington does not continue to support tax policies that encourage housing, it could have disastrous consequences.

Mary Armstrong pled guilty to all five counts of an indictment charging her with wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy.

We're hearing there is a discipline that is completely lacking in the mortgage industry.

With that in mind, here is a Realtor marketing plan that one of my coaching clients recently shared with me.

In the modern world, paper documents are an obstacle between servicers and their own potential competitiveness.

Compliance is one of the big topics of discussion at this year’s Mortgage Bankers Association National Secondary Market Conference in New York.

We're hearing that the deck is stacked against Mel Watt, and his chances of being confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as the new GSE regulator are 100-to-1 at best.

The rules provide guidance on how rental income and self-employed income can be considered.

There are a series of 17 questions plus comments for the borrower to make.

We're hearing about due on sale clauses, not in the traditional sense where a mortgage must be paid off when a property is sold but rather in other circumstances.

Especially markets hit hardest by the housing crisis are the most attractive options for REO-to-rental investors. But how can servicers and investors identify which markets will achieve the greatest ROI?

We're hearing that although some big players have exited wholesale in recent years, New York mortgage brokers today have the support of several strong, small to midsized lenders in this channel.

It’s one of the most powerful words in the English language!

Old Data is dead, long live New Data.

First, does the individual or company have a plan to meet their goals?

We’re hearing signs of a housing recovery have been sighted along the road for quite a while now.

Some reflections and even some marketing lessons on the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Sandy affecting the south shore of Long Island.

FHA needs to fix Credit Watch so every lender isn’t forced into the same narrow credit box.

I received a call from the owner of a settlement services company seeking representation because a number of clients had stopped utilizing his services. Apparently this company had recently been targeted by a class action lawsuit alleging illegal kickbacks. Although the case settled in its initial stages, the complaint filed in federal court was extremely detailed and there were means of verifying at least a portion of the claims. …