Servicing

Mortgage loan delinquency rates through the third quarter fell to their lowest levels in seven years, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

New York financial regulator Benjamin Lawsky held up the deal shortly after it was announced in January, and regulatory and legal concerns had mounted since then.

Trade groups press federal banking regulators to make the Basel III capital rule less onerous.

Regulators are preparing rules to curb financial risks of expanding nonbank mortgage companies after investigating homeowner complaints that include improper foreclosures and unauthorized fees.

Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. are selling multiple pools of soured U.S. mortgages to meet demand from investment firms that are pushing prices higher.

The company cited uncertainties with industrywide litigation and the regulatory environment in the move. In August, a New York regulator questioned its purchase of the unit from an affiliated company.

Commercial mortgage-backed security delinquencies declined during October, according to Fitch Ratings.

Mortgage insurers Radian Guaranty Inc. and MGIC Investment Corp. both saw their inventory of delinquent loans drop during October.

Despite policy changes that apply to new reverse mortgages, the rights for existing spouses of deceased borrowers remain unclear and subject to change until HUD and litigants agree on a final policy in line with court directives.

While it might be an understatement, the pressure of rising servicing costs and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's insistence on improved customer experience are adding to the increased challenges in this new world of mortgage servicing.