Servicing

The Cincinnati-based bank scored highest in foreclosure prevention. Five of the top 10 servicers were notably absent from the honorees list.

Mortgages at the nation's largest financial institutions continued to improve for the fifth consecutive quarter at the end of last year, an indication that 2013 was a steadier year for mortgage portfolios than the quakes seen following the housing crisis.

The average profit per loan fell 93% from a year earlier to $150 last quarter—the lowest since the trade group started its studies in 2008.

The largest landlords of single-family homes have formed an industry trade group at a time their impact on housing and finance faces scrutiny.

Home prices have come back, but how strong and for how long? Freddie Mac has created a quick way to get a handle on the national and local housing markets.

With more reliable loan data, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would have greater confidence that borrowers would not default. In return, lenders would receive a juicy carrot: fewer buyback requests.

The agency skipped its first-quarter sale due to processing issues, partly the result of budget cuts and last year's federal shutdown.

First mortgages increased 2.8% from a year earlier in February, the largest year-over-year uptick since September 2008.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp is striking an optimistic tone for mortgage finance reform, saying she’s hopeful that a Senate Banking Committee plan to overhaul the market could make it to the chamber floor for a vote this year.

Home sales activity rose in most of the largest U.S. counties in February after a slowdown in January, but total sales remain far below historical levels, according to DataQuick.