GSEs

Negative attitudes in Washington toward the mortgage industry are starting to thaw, yet devising Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's exit from conservatorship or charting the future of housing finance reform still will be tough.

Mortgage rates rose to the highest levels this year as job growth gained momentum.

Proposals for stiffer capital requirements will reduce the number of mortgage servicers, which in turn will cut access to credit, mortgage-company executives said at an industry conference on Wednesday.

Fannie Mae selected a chief internal auditor with an "inherent conflict of interest" and the mortgage giant's process for filling the position was faulty, according to a watchdog report to be released Wednesday.

Consumer sentiment towards receiving a mortgage and the direction of the overall economy reached new highs in February, according to a Fannie Mae survey.

The three leading U.S. consumer credit reporting agencies agreed to make sweeping changes to correct errors and improve accuracy of reports as well as to increase protection for consumers with medical debt.

Mortgage rates have dropped for the first time in four weeks, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey.

Michael Stegman, a top housing policy adviser, urged regulators on Thursday to bring more private capital into the market, even in the absence of legislative momentum.

Mortgage credit availability increased slightly in February, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association Thursday.

The government sweep of profits from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was defended by the top Treasury Department housing official, who called again for Congress to replace the U.S.-owned mortgage-finance giants.

Some newcomers to mortgage servicing did not hedge because hedging would have increased costs. Had rates moved up, the strategy would have paid off handsomely. Instead, it worked against them.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency won't keep renewing initiatives like the Home Affordable Refinance Program in perpetuity, even if it is extended again before it expires in December, Director Mel Watt said Wednesday.

Weaker appreciation in the low end of the housing market, combined with higher costs to originate mortgages tied to new regulatory compliance obligations, make smaller loans less attractive for lenders.

Hope Now said nearly 1.9 million homeowners received some sort of mortgage assistance in 2014.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray said a review of its "qualified mortgage" rule will allow enough time to consider changes if lawmakers fail to make progress on housing finance before a key deadline.

The performance of commercial and multifamily mortgages continued to improve during the fourth quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has accepted Banco Popular de Puerto Rico's bid to purchase mortgage servicing rights held by shuttered Doral Bank.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency released a set of new rules for the sale of troubled mortgages by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

From new compliance scorecards to rethinking how to deal with consumer complaints, there's plenty to debate about the future of servicing. Here's a look at the most insightful and noteworthy discussions from this year's Mortgage Bankers Association servicing conference.

Total revenue fell for Stonegate Mortgage Corp. in the fourth quarter as lower interest rates and a flattened yield curve hit interest income.