National Mortgage News - February 2017

In the aftermath of enforcement actions, non-executive chair Phyllis Caldwell is directing the special servicer's efforts to diversify its leadership and business model.

Phyllis Caldwell has put a priority on ensuring the company's board and workforce look more like the borrowers whose mortgages it services.

Banks have started reconsidering how much they are willing to pay for low-income housing tax credits as expectations of a Trump tax cut surge, slowing down some projects already and threatening developers with heavier financing burdens.

The lending arm of U.S. Department of Agriculture guaranteed 3,439 single-family construction loans in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017, which ended Dec. 31, but just nine of those loans involved its new single-close construction-to-permanent financing option.

In a candid, in-depth exit interview, Ted Tozer discusses Ginnie Mae's growth during his seven years at the agency's helm, the need for comprehensive housing finance reform, big banks' retreat from mortgages, counterparty risk management and more.

Weakness in the energy sector and a surge in new construction are pushing up vacancy rates at offices and hotels, leading to a spike in delinquencies on loans tied to them. The safer bet, bankers say, is lending on industrial properties.

The startup, known for refinancing millennials' student loans, is now writing more than $100 million of home mortgages a month, and expects this to be its fastest-growing product. Here's why.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s decision to offer a special-purpose charter for fintech firms may entice more players than expected, including mortgage lenders.

The Department of Justice has agreed to a settlement with a pair of Cincinnati banks accused of redlining African-American neighborhoods in four cities in Ohio and Indiana.

It is not a clear-cut statement to say Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac need more capital, and it detracts from the real debate over long-term housing finance reform.

Proponents of "recap and release" misread the political risks and the depth of interest that key lawmakers have in determining the long-term future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Jan. 6.

From the rising influence of millennials to shifting trends in home prices and housing inventory, here's a look at the top housing market trends for 2017.