Servicing

Freddie Mac reported a 38% drop in refinancing volumes in March from the previous month and a corresponding 33% drop in MBS issuance, providing more evidence of the slowdown in mortgage lending.

Many predict calamity for the housing markets without them. Federal Reserve data tell a different story.As Congress prepares to debate how to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, those in politics and real estate who support a government-backed housing finance system are predicting calamity.

Despite evidence that some home prepurchase education and foreclosure prevention programs are working, inconsistent proof of the effect of counseling indicates the industry cannot quantify their level of efficiency.

Current and expected regulatory compliance requirements and loss mitigation challenges are pressing servicers to address shortages in well-trained, experienced staff.Supporters say mortgage servicing standards will help increase workout efficiency. But there is a catch.

A study sponsored by the Mortgage Bankers Association shows that despite evidence that some home pre-purchase education and foreclosure prevention programs are effective, inconsistent proof of the effect of counseling indicates the industry remains clueless about what works and what does not work.

Now more than ever effective loss mitigation techniques are needed. Today’s servicers need to look at every possible avenue—loan modifications, refinancings, short sales, deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure, doorknockers, everything—to help them cope with overdues that remain at the highest levels in a generation.

A state run program that provides loans to homeowners that can't make their mortgage payments due to a temporary job loss has a high success rate, according to a study by economists at the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Real estate brokers will have an extra incentive to sell a Freddie Mac Homesteps home in Las Vegas beginning this weekend.

The $5.2 million loan on the U.S. Geological Survey regional headquarters that was securitized in loan pool JPMCC 2010-C2 is 30-days delinquent, according to a report from Royal Bank of Scotland.

A new tool checks Department of Defense records to verify whether defaulted mortgage borrowers are actively serving in the military, providing a regulatory compliance check for servicers while staying within the confines of department policies.