Origination

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is abandoning its current assessment system of charging premiums based on an insured-institution's deposits, moving toward a system based on asset size.

The foreclosure document debacle, a huge embarrassment and liability for mortgage servicers, could soon also ensnare the banks that act as trustees for securitizations.

Several small banks tightened their credit standards on prime and "nontraditional" mortgages over the past three months, according to a new Federal Reserve Board survey.

Mortgage insurer Genworth Financial said it is now accepting FHA appraisals as part of its conventional mortgage underwriting process, a move designed to save borrowers — and lenders — time and money.

The mortgage banking division of LendingTree plans to hire 125 full timers — including loan officers — to work at its headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

Radian Group Inc., Philadelphia, is selling up to $350 million of convertible senior notes, using the net proceeds for working capital, including cash that will go into its mortgage insurance business.

The Rural Housing Service late last week re-opened its single-family loan program and it is guaranteeing new mortgages once again.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ—Even though mortgage brokering is a very local business, if one thing could be taken away from the Northeast Conference of Mortgage Brokers here is that now more than ever, no matter what state they are licensed in, originators are facing similar issues.This is in no small way due to the passage of the SAFE Act, which in turn created a national set of standards for states to model their mortgage laws upon.

Doug Benner, whose 2010 volume has already surpassed last year’s, is taking steps to source where his business will come from in the future.There are plenty of quotes and clichés about those who fail to adapt and change being left in the dust. Doug Benner, senior loan officer with Embrace Home Loans, knows that by being willing to adopt the latest marketing trends, he will stay ahead of the game.

House price appreciation may not be what it used to be, but most participants in the National Association of Realtors' annual profile of buyers and sellers still believe home ownership is a sound investment.