Servicing

Moody's Investors Service late Tuesday downgraded Bank of America’s residential servicing ratings, citing continuing challenges the nation’s largest servicer faces with its 2008 purchase of Countrywide Financial Corp.

Automated valuation model provider Veros Real Estate Solutions makes the case for the use of analytical technology in determining the value of real estate owned portfolios in a white paper published this week.

Freddie Mac’s capital market chief, Peter J. Federico, a 23-year veteran of the GSE, announced that he is leaving the company in mid-May.

It is a renter’s market. So Beazer Homes of Atlanta, one of the country’s top-10 homebuilders, is betting on affordable, distressed home rental opportunities—for now.

Pre-disaster management counseling and training issues are high up on the agenda of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Pacific Union Financial LLC, Walnut Creek, Calif., has launched a new correspondent division to purchase already funded residential loans from mortgage bankers, community banks, and credit unions.

Along with the Federal Reserve and the Office of Thrift Supervision, we announced cease-and-desist orders against 14 large servicers and two service providers that are intended to correct the deficiencies we found both in mortgage servicing and foreclosure processing.

The Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee is warning that proposed risk retention rules might not deter some MBS issuers from securitizing poor quality mortgages.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is projecting a 28% jump in purchase money originations in 2011. And even though refi originations are expected to fall off the cliff, the MBA is still looking for a $1 trillion year.

The servicing-related consent orders that the nation’s megabanks signed to appease banking regulators could impact smaller servicers too, according to consultants at Newbold Advisors.