Economy

The outcome of Bruce Berkowitz's tussle with the U.S. government over the profits from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may depend on two women: federal claims court Judge Margaret Sweeney and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Studying borrowers' credit characteristics and tightening quality control are more important to how mortgages perform than the size of down payments.

During last year's fourth quarter, commercial and multifamily loan originations increased by 11% from the same time a year before, a new report by the Mortgage Bankers Association says.

Efforts by investors in the government-sponsored enterprises to find a more friendly court to challenge the government's management of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac fell flat in Iowa.

Embrace Home Loans, a direct mortgage lender in Newport, R.I., has partnered with Rockland Trust, to process, underwrite and close loans for the Rockland, Mass.-based bank.

While many of the lenders and investment firms seeking to profit from higher-risk mortgages are working to revive the business of bundling such loans into bonds, Citadel, one of the biggest players, is in no rush to see that happen.

When Seattle Mayor Ed Murray created a blue-ribbon panel on housing affordability in September, he used the word "urgency."

The Super Bowl is history, marking the start of a new high-stakes season: the spring real estate market. After what many industry insiders considered a disappointing 2014, hopes are high for 2015.

Home sales in Southern California's San Fernando Valley tanked in 2014, falling 7 percent from a year earlier to a record low in response to rising prices and scant inventory.

The Greenwich, Conn., Town Assessor's office booked paperwork for 40 residential real estate closings last month, with a median sale price of $1.3 million, down significantly from last January's median closing price of $2 million.

Government-backed U.S. mortgage bonds posted their worst monthly returns relative to Treasuries since the 2008 financial crisis as the $5.5 trillion market braces for a surge in homeowner refinancing.

Intense scrutiny is rarely focused on condemnation clauses in security instruments, but they will set the tone for potentially drawn out litigation as the parties work through the complexities specific to condemnation.

The widespread return of the subprime mortgage business will be the big event for the mortgage industry in 2015.

Fannie Mae provided $28.9 billion in financing to the multifamily market last year that supported 446,000 housing units.

Joe Stafford knew that by learning the ins and outs of mortgage lending, he would be able to help those looking to finance their dreams.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency will require nonbank mortgage firms to meet minimum liquidity and net worth standards to curb risks to taxpayers from the rapidly expanding industry.

Two Republican legislators have suggested that affordable housing funding should be put on hold until Congress finally decides what to do about Fannie and Freddie. But why give Congress another six years to fiddle around with housing finance while the poor and homeless face a declining level of government housing assistance?

Residential real estate in the Philadelphia region saw falling prices and modestly rising sales in 2014's fourth quarter.

A program in Huntington Beach, Calif., is looking to help military members, safety officials, teachers and others buy homes.

Arbor Commercial Mortgage has launched a proprietary online loan processing technology platform.