GSEs

Mortgage rates increased slightly this week, but remain near historic lows, according to Freddie Mac.

President Obama called for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be eliminated, but Democratic policymakers attending the convention here appear resigned to the fact that Congress is unable to act on housing finance reform.

Two Harbors Investment Corp., one of the few regular sponsors of private-label mortgage securitization post-financial crisis, is pulling out of the market.

As if high default costs haven't been challenging enough for mortgage servicers, a growing number of seriously delinquent loans are Federal Housing Administration products, which require significant upfront investment to resolve.

Deutsche Bank is nearing an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to settle a long-running investigation into its mortgage-backed securities business.

Fannie Mae is making its housing counseling requirements more flexible so additional borrowers can qualify for its low down payment, affordable loan program called HomeReady.

Sentiment regarding the need for disruption in the mortgage tech space remains divided, though a majority of lenders agree that the industry is working to innovate for better efficiency.

The Democratic and Republican platforms adopted at this year's party conventions take a more forward-looking approach to housing issues than they did four years ago. But they have distinctly different views on the government's role in maintaining a robust mortgage industry.

Freddie Mac has reached a binding commitment with Chimera Investment Corp. in its pilot structured sale of seasoned loans.

Despite fears that increased compliance costs from new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rules could drive community lenders out of the mortgage business, a watchdog report found that smaller companies remain active.