Victoria Finkle

The congressional playbook for the new year is a familiar one, as lawmakers will continue to oversee implementation of the Dodd-Frank reform law and possibly begin to make inroads on housing finance reform.

The House Republican Steering Committee officially endorsed Rep. Jeb Hensarling for chair of the House Financial Services Committee.

The committee has yet to issue a formal agenda for the next Congress, but a spokesman said that oversight of the Dodd-Frank law and other issues like mortgage finance reform will probably top the agenda, much like last year.

The exodus from the financial services panel is bipartisan, with five Democrats leaving the 61-member committee while seven Republicans follow suit.

The announcement may put to bed speculation that Raj Date, CFPB’s second-in-command, might someday replace director Richard Cordray.

Mortgage bankers and others have been watching her race closely, fearful that Warren may continue her harsh attacks on lenders.

The GOP leadership has not doled out committee leadership assignments yet, but observers said they expect outspoken free market conservative Rep. Jeb Hensarling to lead the House Financial Services Committee next year.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is working closely with state regulators in an effort to ensure a level playing field in the nonbank mortgage sector.

Although Republicans are expected to keep their majority in the House next year, bankers are keenly watching several tight races involving members of the Financial Services Committee.

Housing issues appear to be all but absent in the presidential debates with an occasional mention here and there.

If Republicans fail to take control of the Senate, Mike Crapo of Idaho might wind up as ranking minority member.

The qualified mortgage rule—ever so briefly—became a topic in the presidential debate Wednesday night.

The Romney campaign finally weighs in on how to fix the housing market.

Uncertainty surrounding the economy, the election and other concerns are keeping some potential borrowers on the sidelines, including homebuyers.

Sabal Financial is getting into the business of lending to homebuilders.

A bipartisan bill that would permit regulators to grant federal charters to nonbank consumer lenders is being met with fierce resistance.

San Bernardino County is forging ahead with deliberations on a proposal to seize delinquent mortgages, despite its largest city’s decision Tuesday night to seek bankruptcy.

Discover Financial Services is finally getting its feet wet in the mortgage origination business, but the credit card lender isn't jumping into the deep end anytime soon.

Delinquency rates in the fourth quarter of 2011 fell across all loan categories the trade group monitors, including credit cards, auto and home loans, the American Bankers Association reported.

Wells Fargo & Co. on Friday reiterated its plans to slash costs over the next year -- but executives gave themselves new wiggle room to rethink those cuts later.