Origination

Community banks and thrifts are slowly increasing their originations of non-conforming mortgages, while pulling back on making FHA loans, according to a new study from the American Bankers Association.

There's been a decided shift in theme statements in the mortgage business over the past five years. The old mortgage mantra of "the American Dream of Homeownership" has experienced an abrupt downshift to a new one: "Not everyone should be a homeowner."

I recently received a business card from a loan officer who called himself a "Personal Liability Manager" with the tag line "providing mortgage and liability management on an ethical and objective basis." It's unique. It's different. And it begs the all-important question—so how do you do that?

Two sales associates for eWarehouseOne have resigned over the past few weeks, including industry veteran Henry Brandt.

Standard & Poor's said Tuesday that home prices fell in January for the fifth consecutive month, reaching a new low for the housing bust.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plans on taking a close look at the Federal Reserve's controversial loan officer compensation rule and will issue a new proposal "soon" according to a top official at the young agency.

HECM lenders and originators need to be increasingly proactive about reporting potential fraud and aware of how best to identify and report it if they want to mitigate potential indemnification and compliance risk, a special agent from HUD IG's office told attendees at a National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association meeting Tuesday.

While facing continued pressure from its largest investor for a management shakeup, CoreLogic expects to benefit from continued mortgage refinancing activity, internal cost cutting and the introduction of new products.

Freddie Mac purchased $37.6 billion of residential loans from its seller/servicers in February, a 10% increase from the prior month, and a sign perhaps that Bank of America's recent decision to quit Fannie Mae is helping Freddie.

It appears the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will revisit the issue of loan officer compensation - and maybe even in a way that benefits nonbank LOs. The whole issue is too early to predict, and we suggest you visit the main National Mortgage News website for a just breaking update.