Economy

The coronavirus pandemic brought more attention to the affordable housing issue and illuminated already vulnerable, low-income populations.

The measures extended by the Federal Housing Finance Agency include alternative methods used for certain appraisals and for verification of employment.

The expected rise in refinance volume overrides pessimism about purchase activity for their businesses.

The Federal Housing Administration's move to insure loans with forbearance could help support homeownership opportunities constrained by the coronavirus if one change was made to it, trade groups said.

The coronavirus market disruption actually caused the company's execs to speed up its return.

Now the shutdown has stretched into mid-June, effectively canceling the long-anticipated Memorial Day listings bonanza.

Looming economic uncertainties forced mortgage lenders to tighten underwriting standards in May.

As brick-and-mortar shopping centers steadily lost market share to online competitors, the family behind three of the four biggest malls in North America built a thriving business by infusing their properties with heavy doses of entertainment.

The FHFA’s proposal is intended to strengthen Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but many experts warn that it could boost guarantee fees for lenders that they say may be passed on to borrowers.

About 9% of government-insured loans in forbearance have low equity, which could hamper post-forbearance servicing.

A $740 million jury verdict against Amrock was thrown out by a Texas appeals court that said tech firm HouseCanary failed to prove the big title insurer stole its trade secrets to build a competing real estate analysis tool.

But there was an increase in private-label mortgages in forbearance.

Nonbank mortgage hiring inched down when overall employment plunged in April. The subsequent recovery in overall jobs suggests the housing-finance industry is still bearing up well despite coronavirus-related strain.

Houston-area home closings surged last week for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

One criticism of the CARES Act is that it provides relief only to borrowers with government-backed loans. Bills in New York and California would cover the remaining 30% of homeowners.

Independent mortgage banks started 2020 strong after three quarters of high profits, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage rates increased slightly this week as indicators point to an economic revival, including increased home sales activity, according to Freddie Mac.

Self-service portals fielded at least half of coronavirus-related forbearance-plan requests and made it possible to handle an influx at a challenging time, but the GSEs recommend circling back to borrowers.

The new FHFA rule sets a percentage-based threshold to measure compliance, rather than Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data.

The FHFA looks to shed light on the amount of funds Fannie and Freddie will need to hold for their risk-sharing deals.