Origination

American Indian housing assistance is perennially underfunded, a trend continued in the Administration's fiscal 2013 budget request. $1 billion would be a good starting point, instead of the current $650 million.

President Barack Obama said 2 to 3 million existing FHA borrowers will be able to refinance at a lower interest rate under a new Federal Housing Administration streamline program that cuts mortgage insurance premiums in half.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will issue mortgage servicing rules this year that would impose new limits on force-placed insurance products and require additional disclosures for adjustable-rate mortgages, Director Richard Cordray said Tuesday.

The government's Home Affordable Refinancing Program has a major flaw, according to one industry veteran -- it doesn't give borrowers a financial incentive to stay in the home.

As if appraisal management companies, readily available automated valuation models and broker priced opinion options were not enough challenges to the real estate appraisal profession, well-intended federal and state regulations are generating new controversy.

Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. had nearly 2,000 more loans cure in February compared with the number of new default notices received during the month.

A trio of loan officers from the same Chicago-based company occupies three of the top four spots in the preliminary results of the Origination News 2011 top producer survey.

The media has been flooded this past week with positive news on the housing market. Sales of existing homes show definite signs of life and construction jobs are rebounding, making it is easy to sit back and breathe a sigh of relief. However, in taking a second look, it is important to keep in mind that we are not out of the woods yet.

Foreclosure starts and sales increased significantly in January, a sign that the processing backlog may be starting to clear, according to a new report from Lender Processing Services.

The CMBS market appears to be looking up performance-wise, but there may be less of it in terms of outstandings, and despite stronger originations, according to a new report from Moody's Investors Service.