Economy

Total mortgage applications increased last week, due to an increase in refinance applications, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Two St. Louis-area investors have been indicted on charges they defrauded the failed Excel Bank on real estate loans.

Purchases of previously owned U.S. homes rose more than projected in March, indicating resilience in demand heading into the spring selling season.

Bucking their rent-not-own reputation, millennials are looking forward to buying a home, but many have grossly underestimated just how much they'll need for that all-important down payment.

The recent proposal is less about fixing fundamental flaws in our mortgage finance system and more about finding a broadly acceptable path to resolving the current impasse in mortgage finance reform.

Michael Wilson officially assumed the titles of president and chief executive of the merged Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines on Monday, a little sooner than expected.

Its first-quarter earnings fell nearly 50%, to $69 million, as revenue declined and it took a $13 million loss on debt repurchases.

New-home construction in the U.S. slumped more than projected in March, reflecting a broad-based retreat that showed the industry lost momentum heading into the busiest time of year.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is seeking input from the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office on the future of policies dealing with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Ellie Mae has launched the latest version of its mortgage management software, featuring updates on trade management reporting and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae integrations.

Borrowers of "forward" Federal Housing Administration mortgages are unfairly being expected to backstop the disparate mission and risks of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program.

The National Association of Realtors is teaming up with a coalition of environmental groups, taxpayer advocates and insurance companies to push Congress on flood insurance reforms.

Lawyers for investors in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac asked a federal appeals court to at least revive their claims that the U.S. stripped the companies of billions of dollars of profits, depriving shareholders of dividends, if not to go further and rule the transfer of profits to the government was unlawful.

Confidence among U.S. homebuilders was little changed in April, indicating the housing market lacked momentum as the spring selling season got under way.

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., for the first time was able to report a full-quarter impact from its acquisition of Hudson City Bancorp, which took about three-and-a-half years to complete because of regulatory challenges.

Freedom Mortgage has agreed to pay $113 million to settle government allegations that it failed to comply with Federal Housing Administration requirements for originating and servicing FHA-insured loans.

While soaring real estate prices and ludicrous rents have ceased being news in places called Pacific Heights or Park Slope, the dual tsunamis of gentrification that submerged both coasts are moving inland.

The tax benefits of homeownership, which generations of U.S. residents have counted on, have been elusive for typical buyers since mortgage rates started tumbling in 2008.

Offering counseling to prospective homebuyers as part of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's duty to serve requirements could play a crucial role in helping lenders and nonprofits safely increase access to credit for underserved markets.

Even while FHFA finally embarked on a principal reduction plan, critics argued it was a dangerous idea that made Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac less safe while helping relatively few people.