Fannie Mae

It’s a very large number for any bank, but Bank of America executives said the move makes good economic sense and promotes relationship-building with customers.

The discounts that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac used to offer large originators for selling them bulk bundles of mortgages continue to haunt small lenders, who worry a new housing finance system could revive the practice.

Fannie Mae is increasing the maximum debt-to-income ratio it will allow on purchased loans to 50% from 45% on single-family loans when it rolls out its latest version of Desktop Underwriter on July 29.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has added three categories to the list of protected classes under equal opportunity employment and inclusion rules for regulated entities.

Property Assessed Clean Energy loans can no longer be offered in unincorporated areas of Kern County, Calif. The controversial loans, meant to promote energy efficiency, began in California and are now offered in a number of states.

To close gaps in volume caused by inventory shortages and help consumers get over the homeownership hump, lenders are offering mortgage programs and features like low down payments, bridge loans for home sellers and student loan refinancing. (Part two in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's efforts to provide representation and warranty relief to lenders that perform automated data validations before loans close will improve mortgage credit risk assessment and lower costs for lenders and borrowers.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group agreed to pay $5.5 billion to settle the second of three major U.S. mortgage-backed securities probes the government-owned lender must overcome before it can fully return to the private sector.

Employment among nonbank lenders and mortgage brokers grew in May, marking the third straight month of employment gains at a time when housing inventory is tight, refinancing has slowed and home prices are rising.

Federal Reserve Board Gov. Jerome Powell stopped short of endorsing any single housing finance reform plan, but called on lawmakers to resolve what he described as the biggest unfinished business of the crisis.