Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

The Federal Housing Finance Agency must set fees equal to the cost of capital that private banks hold against similar risk, not just the amount of capital that Fannie and Freddie think are right for themselves.

The HUD secretary’s comment that such use of the False Claims Act was “ridiculous” may delight the mortgage industry but does not bode well for taxpayers or the federal government’s future fraud enforcement efforts.

So long as the current monetary regime survives, homeowners — present and potential — can expect higher average prices interspersed with wild rides up and down.

The treatment of local property taxes and the mortgage interest deduction in the House Republicans' tax plan would cause homeowners in high-cost states like California to incur much higher tax bills.

The battle lines are drawn between those seeking to protect the mortgage interest deduction and a legislative effort to greatly reduce its use. Hopefully, this is a battle that taxpayers will win.

Recent research into customer preferences regarding home equity lending reveals that banks need to better engage with their customers to understand their needs and expectations, and then guide them to optimized HELOC product offerings that precisely meet their needs.

Potential first-time home buyers can save money for a down payment if they are able to use a special account just for that purpose.

To protect veterans from predatory lending practices, Ginnie Mae and the Department of Veterans Affairs should remove lenders' financial incentive for originating Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans.

Mortgage servicers should be especially concerned by the rise in Telephone Consumer Protection Act lawsuits, which often hinge on whether consent to call borrowers exists or has been revoked.

Banks and other private lenders could help ease the liquidity crisis facing some companies that service Ginnie Mae mortgages, but are currently prevented from doing so by the agency's rules. A simple fix would benefit everyone involved.