Compliance

Regulators are going against Congressional intent in their latest "qualified residential mortgage" proposal, former Rep. Barney Frank said.

As mortgage interest rates rise and fewer prime borrowers are in the market to refinance, lenders are starting to loosen credit standards again, years after the housing crisis sparked a flight to quality. But amid growing compliance requirements and increased regulatory scrutiny, will this time be different?

Freddie Mac began offering the deals last year with the goal of sharing more risk with the private sector at the direction of its regulator.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development reached settlements with Bank of America and mortgage banking firm James B. Nutter & Co. over allegations that the lenders failed to perform due diligence in underwriting Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loans.

There's been froth in the U.S. housing markets in recent years. But a drop in activity this year means a bubble won't be a problem for 2014.

The minimal staffing and low net worth of these companies could be a precursor to an uptick in bad loans.

The lender can experience problems selling a loan that loses qualified mortgage rule's protection. The lender also could be stuck in a vulnerable position if that loan ultimately defaults.

Trepp has launched TreppTrade Quick Analysis, a free tool that enables banks and commercial real estate companies to calculate cash flows and price yields on commercial mortgage-backed securities.

Senate Banking Committee leaders said Friday they would hold a panel vote on April 29 to reform the housing finance system.

A proposal by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority designed to reduce counterparty risk in the forward market for mortgage bonds troubles some market participants, who say that the measures could have the opposite effect.

Bank of America Corp. should win dismissal of a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit accusing it of misleading investors about the quality of loans tied to $850 million in mortgage-backed securities, a judge said.

Regulatory oversight is mounting for the appraisal management companies most lenders use to manage valuation compliance, so keeping tabs on them is more important than ever.

Federal Housing Administration Commissioner Carol Galante explains why she's encouraged lenders are lowering minimum credit scores, how manual underwriting can help overlooked borrowers and where the agency's volume is headed.

Carol Galante has a challenge: Spur lenders to take more care when originating Federal Housing Administration loans, without scaring them away or causing them to hike pricing to cover the additional risk.

The Federal Housing Administration will require lenders to submit full electronic appraisals for the mortgages it insures — a risk management practice Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac adopted two years ago.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., unveiled a new plan Thursday to overhaul the housing finance market, entering what's becoming a crowded field of proposals to restructure the mortgage system.

Bank of America Corp. agreed to pay about $9.5 billion to settle government claims tied to faulty mortgages.

The largest landlords of single-family homes have formed an industry trade group at a time their impact on housing and finance faces scrutiny.

With more reliable loan data, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would have greater confidence that borrowers would not default. In return, lenders would receive a juicy carrot: fewer buyback requests.

HSBC Holdings was accused of targeting minority borrowers in Chicago with high-cost mortgage loans as Cook County, Ill., followed other local governments in trying to hold subprime lenders liable for urban blight.