Law and regulation

The California Association of Realtors expressed dissatisfaction that the California Assembly Appropriations Committee failed to sign Senate Bill 30 before leaving for adjournment at the beginning of this month.

The Boston City Council unanimously passed a bill aimed at improving banking practices in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, including those related to mortgage lending and foreclosure prevention.

A DocuTech executive advises preparing for a pronounced decrease in volumes as well as new regulations when January hits.

The claims are part of a suit seeking $629 million in damages from RBS Securities and several mortgage originators.

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said a small tapering of bond buying is possible next month after the Fed made a close call this week in deciding not to slow purchases.

There is now a 100 mile restriction for where loan officers can work from.

Mortgage Grapevine posters try to interpret what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will allow.

The rules build on settlements the state has entered into with three providers of this product.

Black and Hispanic mortgage borrowers had lower credit scores and higher default rates than Asian and non-Hispanic white borrowers, according to analysis by the Federal Reserve Board.

Average weekly rates for fixed-rate mortgages in Freddie Mac’s survey fell from where they were the previous week, ending a period of stability.

Delays in software upgrades are forcing many small banks to play a waiting game when it comes to complying with new regulation.

The country's largest trade group is challenging possible plans by the Federal Housing Finance Agency to arbitrarily lower the conforming loan limit in an attempt to bring private capital back to the mortgage market.

The governor of Maine has lifted a two-year moratorium on the sale of mortgage revenue bonds.

The Federal Reserve unexpectedly refrained from reducing the $85 billion pace of monthly bond buying, saying it needs to see more signs of lasting improvement in the economy.

U.S. mortgage lending increased by 38% in 2012, driven by refinancings.

Among the challenges in disbursing recovery funds efficiently in the wake of Hurricane Sandy have been multiple lender insurance policies.

Fannie Mae overpaid its servicers by roughly $89 million last year due to errors made during a manual review by a third-party vendor.

For the first time ever, the GSEs are creating formal programs to flag defective loans and assess risks in lenders' mortgage processes.

Given the severe global impact attributable to the mortgage crisis, careful thought regarding the leading risk factors is valuable.

Lawmakers are beginning to look more closely at the impact of a hike in federal flood insurance premiums set to go into effect next month, which some bankers warn could topple the still weakened real estate market in certain regions.