Certifications and licensing

Servicers and MSR investors face increased regulation and oversight as nearly all states now require some form of licensing for firms responsible for mortgage collections.

Mortgage licensees in West Virginia will pay higher application fees and need to take additional hours of mandatory prelicensing and continuing education under an amendment to the state's licensing law.

Tired of working as a yacht captain, Pancho Jiminez decided to get into real estate even though he knows it's a highly competitive field in Florida.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created in part to ensure that nonbanks are subject to federal oversight, but the fact is that 99% of banks are exempt from CFPB supervision.

Although property tax loans raise concerns for the mortgage industry, there is a way for property tax lenders and mortgage companies to co-exist.

A Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposal would limit how much Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data is released to the public in an effort to protect consumer privacy.

Before joining NMN, our new reporter Elina Tarkazikis was a real estate agent. From endless fees to the benefits of working on a team, she explains why many things agents should know entering the business also apply to mortgage loan officers.

Opes Advisors shows would-be borrowers how purchasing a house fits into their total financial picture, now and years into the future. Many of its loan officers are licensed investment advisors.

While compliance costs continue to increase for lenders, the rising age of company owners is what's prompting many independent mortgage bankers to sell their companies.

Restoring consumer confidence in financial services won't be easy after the latest banking brouhaha, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help by proactively holding all mortgage loan officers to the same federal licensing standard.

The number of unique individuals holding state mortgage licenses has risen 7.5% from one year ago, according to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System.

While many depositories do just enough mortgage lending to low- to moderate-income borrowers to meet statutory requirements, The Federal Savings Bank has made it a backbone for growth.

The housing market has been improving but mortgage credit remains "stubbornly" tight on loans bought by the government-sponsored enterprises, according to a chief housing adviser at the White House.

The House Financial Services Committee approved a bill this week that would increase the mobility of mortgage originators who take a new job across state lines or move from a federally regulated bank to a nonbank.

Though regulation-mandated technology upgrades give vendors little time to rest, the growing acceptance of data standardization should appeal to both lenders and regulators.

The New York Department of Financial Services has ordered NewDay Financial to surrender its New York State license, as the fallout continues from its exam-cheating scandal.

A handful of moderate Democrats are supporting a controversial bill to restructure the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and are expected to help the House Financial Services Committee approve the legislation.

Ginnie Mae's plans to beef up oversight in response to the growth of nonbank issuers in its ranks will emphasize deeper analysis of firms' capital and liquidity positions rather than requiring issuers to maintain larger cash reserves.

A New York law that was invalidated by a federal judge was one of many efforts by big cities to pressure banks into making more investments in local communities after the crisis. Some municipal laws could be more vulnerable to bankers' legal challenges than others.

A federal judge has overturned a New York City law that would have required banks to make new disclosures regarding their investments in local communities.