Law and regulation

The Federal Housing Administration is taking actions it hopes will save the reverse mortgage program.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has published a new proposed rule to “affirmatively further fair housing” in the Federal Register.

Quality Mortgage Services finds the leading compliance problems in the mortgage origination process all happen when taking the initial loan application.

Associated Banc-Corp announced second-quarter earnings of $47 million, up 12% from a year earlier thanks to higher net interest income and mortgage banking revenue.

Anyone thinking lawmakers are close to a consensus on housing finance reform was sorely disappointed by what they heard at a House hearing on July 18.

We're hearing that the change in interest rates from ever-decreasing to something else is a short-term phenomenon, but also a long-term one.

There may be an exclusion from the originator definition unless the communication involves a discussion of credit terms particular to the borrower.

A leading credit union executive urged lawmakers to maintain a role for the federal government in whatever reform scheme they adopt for the secondary mortgage market.

The government has 10 years from when the loan closes to prosecute and slowly but surely the rounds are being made.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has agreed to a congressional request to investigate the massive data collection efforts at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The Senate Banking Committee, voting along party lines, approved the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt on Thursday to become director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

We're hearing about significant changes to the Idaho Residential Mortgage Practices Act which took place as of July 1.

New business practices mandated by regulators in an effort to reform the primary mortgage servicer market appear to have leveled off large versus small bank differences in customer satisfaction.

A Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer found himself sparring with his own witness, a former top Paulson & Co. executive who claimed the agency intimidated and tricked him.

With mortgage rates climbing in recent weeks homeowners have switched from feverishly pursuing refinancing to buying new homes.

Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke told House lawmakers that whatever housing finance reform plan is enacted to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, policymakers must be clear to private investors about the government's role.

Steven Gluckstern, who’s spent more than a year pushing local governments to seize mortgages from bond trusts to cut balances and help homeowners, is renewing attempts with backing from cities in California and Nevada.

Rising home prices, fewer delinquencies and a dearth of claims by large bank lenders are helping improve the financial health of the Federal Housing Administration.

Regulators have begun a push to significantly limit, and in some cases completely eliminate, the use of automated valuation tools in property valuation efforts.

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank’s asset purchases “are by no means on a preset course” as he sought to tamp down an increase in borrowing costs that threatens to slow the economic expansion.