Economy

The national foreclosure inventory fell by 30% year over year in November, according to CoreLogic.

The Federal Housing Administration said it would cut the annual premium by 25 basis points starting on Jan. 27, giving President-elect Donald Trump a limited window to delay or scrap the cut.

In a letter Monday to Comptroller Thomas Curry, Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., registered their strong opposition to the concept of the charter, which would allow certain types of fintech companies to avoid state licensing requirements by obtaining a limited-purpose national bank charter.

Americans' desire to be homebuyers decreased for the fifth consecutive month in December as interest rates continued their post-election climb, according to Fannie Mae.

The number of homeowners underwater on their mortgage continues to shrink as the amount of tappable home equity grows, according to Black Knight Financial Services.

New approaches to credit scoring lower the standard of the criteria required to receive a mortgage loan, at greater risk to the industry.

The Federal Housing Administration is cutting its annual mortgage insurance premium by 25 basis points, lowering it to 60 basis points starting Jan. 27, the agency said Monday.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has charged Bank of America with discriminating against prospective Hispanic mortgage borrowers at a branch in Charleston, S.C.

The House Financial Services Committee will see a shuffling of deck chairs among the leadership of its subcommittees in the new Congress as it also welcomes 10 new Republican members.

Ohio has prohibited the use of plywood to board up certain vacant or abandoned properties in foreclosure.

Nashville, Tenn., tops the list of the hottest housing markets in the country for 2017, according to Zillow.

Quicken Loans parent company Rock Holdings has agreed to buy two online marketing service providers, marking the Dan Gilbert-owned conglomerate's entrance into the lead acquisition space.

Independent mortgage banking and brokerage firms added 4,000 employees in November, even as rising interest rates took its toll on loan application volume.

Initiatives aimed at a more inclusive credit box have long relied on costly approaches that are difficult to scale. Now, demographic shifts are intensifying industry demand for a more automated and efficient solution.

Weakness in the energy sector and a surge in new construction are pushing up vacancy rates at offices and hotels, leading to a spike in delinquencies on loans tied to them. The safer bet, bankers say, is lending on industrial properties.

The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Jan. 12 on the nomination of Dr. Ben Carson as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Demographics are shifting, creating more prospective minority homebuyers than ever before. But predominant underwriting processes and these would-be borrowers' financial backgrounds are holding them back.

Mortgage credit availability grew for the fourth consecutive month in December, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported.

Mortgage interest rates dropped for the first time since the presidential election in the first week of the new year, Freddie Mac reported.

Donald Trump's election sent interest rates higher, and the mortgage industry is waiting to see what other effects he will have. Here's a look at how the housing market performed during the first years of recent presidencies.