Home sales in Baltimore plunged in May amid the recent ransomware attack on city government computers, including those essential for completing real estate transactions.

The agency's vote Thursday threatens to block many of the industry's communications with customers, though banks did win one concession.

The anti-bribery law that Stephen Calk is accused of breaking carries stiff penalties — up to 30 years in prison — but violations can be relatively hard to prove because prosecutors must establish the defendant had a corrupt state of mind.

Mortgage application fraud risk declined for the first time since last summer because the home sales market became less competitive with an easing of the inventory shortage, First American said.

Freddie Mac uncovered a growing number of fraudulent school records and work histories in California, where Fannie Mae also has noted increasing instances of falsified employment information.

The sale of Lisa Kloid's Northeast Baltimore house was moving along quickly. It went under contract in April after less than a month, and the settlement was moved up to accommodate the eager first-time buyers.

Charges against Stephen Calk indicate he lied to regulators about what he knew when he approved loans to Paul Manafort, as well as his interest in landing a job in the Trump administration.

Four real estate professionals could face up to 30 years in prison and hefty fines after being indicted on charges related to allegedly defrauding Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and multifamily lenders.

The charge against Chicago banker Stephen Calk grew out of Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

New legislation in Iowa that allows banks and credit unions to utilize electronic notaries could help local lenders compete with online competitors.

Mortgage application fraud risk came in hot at the start of the year, but two housing market conditions worked against each other to bring growth to a halt, according to First American Financial Corp.

Two Sacramento, Calif., defendants were found guilty of wire fraud stemming from a fraudulent real estate company that targeted members of Sacramento's Latino community, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Homeowners in Chicago cheated by a mortgage fraud scheme are seeking to form a committee to protect their interests in the bankruptcy of Ditech Holding Corp., the company that owns their loans.

A trio of Los Angeles-area real estate developers were accused by the federal government of taking $1.3 billion of investor funds that was supposed to be used for hard money loans for their own use.

Learning to understand the risk rather than adding steps to the mortgage application process is the way to mitigate fraud.

A Staten Island, N.Y., man involved in a $2.5 million real estate investment scheme that targeted investors, many of whom were elderly and some of whom had dementia, was sentenced to three years in prison.

A recent pyramid scheme highlights why mortgage lenders should keep an eye out for misrepresentation when reviewing electronic documents and signatures.

Income-related mortgage application fraud risk has the potential to increase as competition rises among buyers during the peak spring season, First American said.

With a second defendant pleading guilty to conspiracy, it was learned that a Watertown, N.Y., apartment complex is among dozens of rental properties in that state and several others that allegedly received $500 million in fraudulent bank loans.

Just minutes after his federal prison sentence was raised, Paul Manafort was charged by New York state prosecutors with residential mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records.