Servicing

People who purposely default on their mortgage have gotten a lot of attention in the past few years, but only a tiny percentage of North Texans think such action is ever justified.

Barry Habib, chief market strategist for Residential Finance, said the latest CoreLogic HPI report is very encouraging because it does account for some of the recent rise in rates.

Analysts credit improving housing prices and low interest rates that helped homeowners refinance or sell for driving down delinquencies and the average mortgage debt from $188,341 in 2Q12 to $187,635 in 2Q13.

Starwood Property Trust, a Greenwich, Conn.-based real estate investment trust which makes commercial mortgage loans, had net income of $62.3 million for 2Q13, up from $44.5 million one year prior.

Richmond, Calif.’s plan to keep homeowners out of foreclosure by seizing underwater mortgages through eminent domain is unlikely to be successfully implemented, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

Ethics concerns raised by House lawmakers about Raj Date, the former No. 2 at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau who left to form his own firm, appear overblown.

First Financial Network Inc. is offering two loan portfolios from two unnamed sellers.

Including distressed sales,—short sales and real estate owned properties—the CoreLogic Home Price Index report jumped 1.9% from May to June.

Nationstar Mortgage Holdings reported net income of $123.4 million for the second quarter, up from $36.3 million a year ago.

The Obama administration will be calling on Congress to pass legislation that will allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to refinance underwater loans in private label securities.