Housing

Freddie Mac has launched its first securitization of small-balance loans on multifamily properties. The 44 mortgages backing the $108 million of SB1 Certificates are underwritten by Freddie Mac and originated by Greystone Servicing Corp.

CIT Group has completed its acquisition of OneWest Bank in Pasadena, Calif.

The Federal Housing Administration is expected to rebuff a government watchdog report that blasted down payment assistance programs. The report has raised concerns that mortgage lenders would have to indemnify FHA for past loans, and that housing finance agencies would have the programs restructured.

Nationstar Mortgage Holdings returned to profitability in the second quarter after the previous quarter's significant loss.

The title and real estate services portion of Fidelity National Financial Inc. earned $160 million in the second quarter, up from $142 million one year prior because of higher revenue and margins.

There was a six-basis-point decline in the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage during the week ending July 30, Freddie Mac said in its latest weekly report.

Prospect Mortgage will end any activities being undertaken as part of marketing services agreements because of regulatory risk.

Regulators have given the merger between CIT Group and OneWest Bank the green light — so long as CIT comes up with a revised Community Reinvestment Act plan. This condition is good news for the low-income communities impacted by the merger and sets a strong precedent for regulators' review of future bank deals.

Down payments increased in size in the second quarter, as competition for homes picked up this summer, according to LendingTree.

BOK Financial in Tulsa, Okla., reported higher second-quarter earnings as mortgage banking and loan growth offset an increase in expenses.

Fewer Americans signed contracts in June to buy previously owned homes, representing a pause in the housing market's momentum.

Flagstar Bank far outpaced expectations for its second-quarter results due to high loan sales and a strengthened portfolio from the subtraction of lower performing loans.

The government-sponsored enterprises are buying conforming mortgages with as little as 3% down, but the new policy can't improve the housing market by itself.

Demand for apartment rentals continued to rise in the second quarter, while the use of debt financing declined, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council.

The California Housing Finance Agency has ended its use of a U.S. Treasury liquidity program that the agency had relied on since 2009.

Home prices rise 1.1% from April to May, according to Black Knight's Home Price Index report.

Housing markets are steadily improving nationwide, according to the latest Freddie Mac's Multi-Indicator Market Index.

Demand for home purchases rose in June although more slowly than in previous months, the online real estate brokerage Redfin said. The firm also projected a slowdown in the rise of home values.

The U.S. economy was stronger than expected, according to Fannie Mae's analysis of this year's second quarter.

Purchases of new homes unexpectedly retreated in June and prior readings were revised down, painting a picture of less robust improvement during the industry's busiest time of year.