Economy

Regions Financial reported a higher third-quarter profit, citing improved fee income from mortgage lending, capital markets and credit and debit cards.

Upcoming look-backs of key Dodd-Frank provisions like the Qualified Mortgage rule are unlikely to result in new regulatory changes. But any effort to revisit already-implemented rules should give cause for concern, legal experts warn.

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.

Fluctuations in home price and wage gains have created a volatile outlook for housing affordability across the country. By better deciphering market data, mortgage companies can hone their strategies to respond to prevailing economic trends.

To successfully respond to the most pressing challenges facing the mortgage industry right now, lenders and servicers must navigate issues of competition, governance, affordability and margins.

Independent mortgage bankers are concerned that if Congress votes to privatize the Common Securitization Platform, it could give large banks too much control over the real estate finance market.

Mortgage industry groups are frustrated by the lack of progress on real estate finance reform, and that spurred one group — the National Association of Home Builders — to endorse Congressional candidates for the first time.

Recently launched low-down-payment mortgage programs are presenting new opportunities for fraud. But new data and monitoring tools can help lenders mitigate those risks.

Shifting demographics are leading to a rise in the number of millennials and minorities, but homeownership rates among these groups remain depressed. One contributing factor is the lack of mortgage industry hiring and marketing focused on these demographics.

Bank of America's first-mortgage originations increased 23% over the third quarter of 2015, as rates remained near record lows throughout the summer.

New American Funding and Alterra Home Loans have selected Radian Group as the preferred private mortgage insurance providers for their Your Path loan program.

Fitch Ratings has identified more than 1,000 properties in commercial mortgage-backed securities transactions that had exposure to Hurricane Matthew.

Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., has bought a business that manages low-income housing tax credits.

A leader who surrounds herself with diverse thought and talent, Nikki Groff of Wallick & Volk Mortgage Bankers, formed a team that helped propel her to Top Producer status from a small Arizona town.

Bayview Asset Management is securitizing $159.6 million of securities that transfer the risk of credit losses on mortgages insured by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

David Schneider, who became Ditech Financial's president in February, is no longer with the lender as parent company Walter Investment Management streamlines leadership under its new CEO, Anthony Renzi.

Wells Fargo & Co., the lender whose chief executive officer stepped down this week amid a scandal in its branch network, posted a third-quarter profit that beat analysts' estimates as loan-loss provisions improved and revenue from mortgage banking increased.

West Town Bancorp in Illinois has revved up its government-backed lending to small businesses, making it a good example of how community banks can outhustle big lenders in the quest for new sources of fee income.

Loan applications for new home purchases rose 3% in September over the previous year, but continued year-over-year growth could be subdued for the rest of 2016, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

As Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to experiment with up-front risk sharing deals, some small mortgage lenders are worried they will be left out of the action.