GSEs

GOP lawmakers on Wednesday harshly criticized the Federal Housing Administration's recent move to lower insurance premiums, saying it violates the law and will be used to entice borrowers into predatory loans.

Genworth Financial's private mortgage insurance business was a rare bright spot for a company that overall, lost $1.2 billion during the fourth quarter.

Recent moves to offer low down payment loans and cheaper mortgage insurance have been met with mixed reaction, as the opportunity for increased homeownership must be weighed against the potential of riskier lending practices.

A new report from Fitch Ratings found the percentage of loan principal a lender recorded as a loss after foreclosure was similar for agency and nonagency loans.

Consumer optimism toward the housing market grew in January, a sign that the improving economy has warmed consumers to the prospect of purchasing a home, according to survey results released Monday by Fannie Mae.

It's a mortgage on top of a mortgage, and at least one lender is making these loans again through brokers.

One of the culprits in the building and bursting of the nation's housing bubble, the low-down-payment mortgage, is back in favor and readily available at a lender near you.

Ocwen Financial Corp., which agreed with regulators in December to improve its mortgage servicing, sent Nathan Fitzgerald a notice saying his loan was in default. If he didn't send a $2,266 check immediately, Ocwen said, it would foreclose on him.

Bank of America Corp., which had been warning investors to avoid U.S. government-backed mortgage securities, reversed its call this week. The reason: oil prices are stabilizing.

Concentrate on only four or five of these items that you think are important to your attendees and your area of the country. f these suggestions to give your

San Francisco's controller discouraged lawmakers from going forward with a proposal to use the city's eminent-domain powers to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, citing federal limitations and risks to the city's borrowing costs.

Lending standards loosened slightly in January, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

One of the first housing-related items on the budget is continued support for industry regulation, in general, and the CFPB, in particular.

Homeowners who refinanced their mortgages last year should have some extra coin in their pockets this year: $5 billion worth of saved interest in the first 12 months.

Mortgage rates declined, remaining at the lowest levels in more than 20 months.

The expiration of the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act leaves servicers dealing with a patchwork of state laws and investor rules, while renters living in REO properties are at a greater risk of eviction.

In an interview, FHFA Director Mel Watt said there needs to be greater clarity to ensure some entities aren't taking improper advantage of Federal Home Loan Bank membership.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's overseer wants to allow debt cuts for a narrow group of borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth.

Deval, a loan servicing company in Dallas, has received its Freddie Mac servicer approval.

The outcome of Bruce Berkowitz's tussle with the U.S. government over the profits from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may depend on two women: federal claims court Judge Margaret Sweeney and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.