Servicing

Fitch's U.S. commercial mortgage-backed securities report shows 2011 ending with another decrease in delinquencies during December, but notes that office delinquencies are continuing on an upward trajectory.

The trend toward fewer loans becoming delinquent appears to have halted momentarily, according to the latest mortgage monitor report released by Lender Processing Services.

Almost hands down most mortgage trade groups and sectors of the business have shot down a "fee for service" concept to replace the existing GSE servicing compensation structure. But don't tell that to Lenders One, a nationwide cooperative of residential funders.

Strong refinancing activity spurred mortgage companies to add new loan officers and processors to their payrolls in November for the second consecutive month.

Two high ranking Democratic congressmen plan to hold a hearing later this month in Chicago to highlight the failure of mortgage servicers to adequately maintain foreclosed properties.

In the rollercoaster world of bank owned properties, now might be the time when the ride starts to take a drastic turn. Many analysts projected 2011 as the year when the backlog of foreclosure cases would hit the market, but this did not occur, leading to a lot of speculation about the future of these properties heading into 2012.

Servicing technology has both progressed significantly and become obsolete, at least in the view of Dave Vida, a mortgage industry veteran of more than 20 years who, like most of his peers, is eyeing what to do next.

PHH Corp., which this week ousted its CEO amid perceived liquidity concerns, may start selling some of its huge holdings of mortgage servicing rights, according to industry analysts.

Delinquencies on home equity lines of credit rose a scant 2 basis points in the third quarter to 1.93%, according to new figures compiled by the American Bankers Association.

The 30 days-plus delinquency rate for U.S. commercial real estate loans in CMBS climbed seven basis points to 9.58% in December, according to Trepp LLC.