Secondary

Redwood Trust and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago are revving up a program to buy and securitize jumbo loans and looking for signs that other FHLBs will participate.

Such a system will not erase past violations, but it can help convince a regulator that a lender is invested in doing business the "right way."

The Justice Department's recent $16.6 billion deal with Bank of America over crisis-era mortgage fraud has raised fresh questions over a perceived lack of transparency in the settlement process.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded two servicer ratings for Ocwen Loan Servicing, reflecting additional scrutiny by regulators and concerns about the nonbank mortgage servicer's ability to ensure timely payments to bondholders.

Prices of securitized commercial mortgage loans shrank slightly in July, according to DebtX.

HSBC Holdings Plc and Nomura Holdings Inc. lost a bid to block claims by a U.S. regulator the banks say were brought too late, clearing the way for a trial of HSBC over questionable mortgage practices.

An examination of the details in the B of A settlement shows many examples of risky behavior, including mortgage applications that were underwritten with "shadow" guidelines that allowed exceptions to approve almost any loan.

It is looking to sell the property within the next three years as part of a plan to consolidate its office space into a single location.

Freddie Mac's Multi-Indicator Market Index shows ongoing U.S. housing market improvement is uneven despite employment gains in areas with stronger economies.

Allowing the Federal Home Loan Bank System to invest in mortgage-backed securities is just one of many ideas being pitched to policymakers to revive the private-label market.