Compliance & Regulation

The debate over housing finance reform appears to have new life as both Democrats and the next administration appear ready to take up the issue.

Steven Mnuchin's confirmation hearing is likely to be dogged by stories of homeowners who claim his bank, OneWest, illegally foreclosed on them. While the stories are unlikely to prevent President-elect Donald Trump's pick from being confirmed, it could weaken Mnuchin politically and rehash grievances from the financial crisis.

The Federal Housing Administration will increase loan limits across most areas in the United States in 2017 to reflect rising home prices.

Privatizing the government-sponsored enterprises is a priority for Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin. Here's a look at what it will take to pull off and the potential implications for the mortgage industry of unwinding the conservatorship.

Bank of America has conditionally completed 97% of the $7 billion in consumer relief it agreed to provide as part of its 2014 settlement with the Department of Justice and six states.

Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin's plan to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government control could mean increased competition for lenders' loans. But it could also prompt a rise in mortgage rates.

Even before taking office, Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin has said he wants to return Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the private sector, a radically different vision of housing finance reform than that pushed by other Republicans.

Some banks are set to get a fourth-quarter earnings boost from their MSR portfolios, thanks to a sudden spike in yields on Treasury bonds. Add to that the prospect of further rate hikes and the potential dismantling of Basel III, and more banks could be encouraged to re-enter the servicing business.

President-elect Donald Trump has named Quicken Loans Executive Vice President Shawn Krause to the team that will direct the transition at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

President-elect Donald Trump recognizes that full repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act is unlikely, though he supports a House effort to make significant changes, according to a former banker who was on the shortlist to be Treasury secretary.