HUD

Purchases of new homes fell more than estimated in September to the weakest pace since December 2016, adding to signs that a lack of affordability is crimping demand, according to government data.

The Federal Housing Administration is making it easier for reverse mortgage servicers to submit insurance claims by expanding the types of supporting documentation it will accept on defaulted loans.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Israeli Ministry of Finance are joining forces through a memorandum of cooperation to explore and share approaches on housing and mortgage finance issues plaguing their nations.

Ex-Ginnie Mae President Joseph Murin is among several industry veterans joining Ainsworth Advisors, a consultancy run by former mortgage banker David Lykken and former Texas Capital Bank executive Gary Ort.

From discussing the future of mortgage tech to debating the shifting sands of political policies, here's a preview of the big issues, topics and ideas when the industry gathers in the nation's capital for the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo.

Purchases of new homes rebounded in August from the slowest pace in almost a year, a potential sign of stabilization in the market, according to government data Wednesday.

The Supreme Court upheld using “disparate impact” over three years ago. But with HUD weighing a policy change, banks and advocacy groups are still at odds over the court decision.

Purchases of new homes unexpectedly dipped to the weakest pace in nine months as higher prices and mortgage rates sideline demand, adding to signs of a cooling in the housing market.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development took the very rare step of filing a secretary-initiated fair housing complaint — only three were made in the last two fiscal years — against Facebook.

The U.S. is siding with fair housing groups that claim Facebook's ad targeting tools permit discrimination based on sex, religion, familial status and national origin.

The new policy, meant to assist borrowers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, will let servicers evaluate borrowers using pre-disaster payment information.

The hope is that more Americans will see the factory units not only as a more-affordable alternative to a traditional single-family house, but also an appealing one, without the old trailer-park stigma.

The Trump administration has argued that the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, issued in 2015, was too prescriptive.

The administration’s recent report on fintech innovation discussed ways to adopt electronic promissory notes — or eNotes — and automated appraisals in federal mortgage programs.

As regulators move forward with policy changes designed to curb so-called refinance churning of Department of Veterans Affairs-insured mortgages, concerns have surfaced about the fate of loans originated during the transition period.

The banking industry lost a key battle in the Supreme Court over the use of “disparate impact,” but legal observers see potential for the tide to turn if Judge Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed.

Brian Montgomery is examining why the reverse mortgage program has suffered big losses, but he said he opposes any changes that could make it harder for the elderly to stay in their homes.

Lawmakers want the agency to utilize two programs to help families still struggling to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

The Democratic congresswoman said the department under Secretary Ben Carson has turned "its back on its mission."

Courts have validated the legal theory behind punishing lenders for unintentional discrimination, but the Trump administration has shown interest in revising the Obama-era policy.