Economy

Mortgage default rates decreased in September, pushing the composite rate down seven basis points to 0.89%, according to the S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices.

From thrift deregulation to government domination, the mortgage business is prone to dramatic shifts. Here are 10 people who share the credit, or the blame, for major industry changes.

Fannie Mae's latest offering of Connecticut Avenue Securities, its last of the year, is the first to offer exposure to actual losses on residential mortgages that it insures.

Private mortgage insurers are seeking a larger share of the credit risk on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-guaranteed loans.

Home prices rose at a slow pace from July to August, after experiencing a sharp decline in the previous month, according to FNC.

Housing finance reform in Congress is stalled, but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (often under pressure from their regulator) are forming partnerships, developing new products and finding ways to share risk with the private sector to correct flaws in the housing system.

Over a third of appraisals during the third quarter featured property quality or condition ratings that did not match previous ratings, according to an Oct. 19 report from Platinum Data Solutions.

David H. Stevens, the Mortgage Bankers Association's president, pledged to "shine an aggressive spotlight on abusive enforcement" at the trade group's annual gathering, specifically calling out the Department of Justice.

Ginnie Mae's limited resources are going to be focused on working with its existing issuers, especially those that are not creating new securities, according to its president.

Should credit unions step into a giant breach gradually being vacated by the big banks, or is the bank pull-out a sign that CUs should do the same?

New-home construction in the U.S. climbed in September, a sign residential real estate will bolster the world's largest economy.

Next year Fannie will require that mortgage lenders use so-called trended credit data for all mortgage borrowers, a move it says could broaden access to credit.

The White House is pushing back on suggestions that it will cut a deal to recapitalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the end of President Obama’s term, putting the pressure back on Congress for a solution.

Xome, a Nationstar Mortgage Holdings effort to automate the home-buying process, has launched a notary mobile app.

The White House is preparing to push back on the flurry of hedge fund speculation that it may change course on policies that have kept Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under government control since the financial crisis.

The servicing industry is also facing higher capital requirements under the Basel III accord that are being phased in.

Confidence among homebuilders climbed in October to a 10-year high, a sign demand for housing may remain solid in the months to come.

Quicken Loans is partnering with Freddie Mac to boost business among first-time and middle-income borrowers as it battles allegations over its past underwriting practices on Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgages.

Ditech Financial is tapping the securitization market to fund advances of principal and interest payments to mortgage bondholders.

Single-family home market values nationwide are expected to rise 3.6% in the coming year, according to Veros Real Estate Solutions, which said this is one of the best forecasts in almost two years.