Law and regulation

Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical of both sides during oral arguments on Monday in a case that could shape whether regulators have to ask for public feedback before significantly changing a rule.

Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust plans to offer $505 million of debt tied to its rental properties in its first bond sale, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction.

According to Home Mortgage Disclosure and Mortgage Bankers Association data, independent, nonbank mortgage lenders originated 40% of the home purchase loans made in 2013.

The Federal Housing Administration could finally get something it desperately needs: upgrades to its outdated technology infrastructure. But industry groups object to the new fee being proposed to generate the necessary funding.

Giving roughly 5 million immigrants at least temporary relief from deportation could conceivably ease lenders' and borrowers' qualms about mortgages to undocumented workers who qualify with individual taxpayer identification numbers.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission resolved an impasse over punishing Bank of America Corp. in a mortgage-bond case, clearing the way for the lender to complete a $16.7 billion global settlement, people familiar with the matter said.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac updated their representation and warranties frameworks in a move designed to encourage mortgage lenders to ease credit restrictions by limiting repurchase requirements.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a proposal Thursday that would institute new foreclosure protections for consumers after the agency found its previous mortgage rules didn't go far enough.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's new low down payment loans products may not represent such a risk to the Federal Housing Administration program as some have feared.

More than 60 members of Congress joined banks and credit union trade groups this week in urging the agency to modify its plan to require members of the 12 regional Home Loan Banks to hold a certain percentage of mortgages on their books.

WASHINGTON — The top Republican and Democratic spots on the House Financial Services Committee will remain unchanged in the new Congress.

A secondary market system "dominated by Fannie and Freddie in conservatorship is simply not desirable," Castro says.

An independent actuarial report showed the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage insurance fund's capital ratio hit 0.41% this year, which is below the earlier estimate of 1.2%.

Plaintiffs advocating for spousal rights in existing Home Equity Conversion Mortgages are renewing their motion for class certification, citing circumstances surrounding two instances of foreclosures under interim government policy.

A report due next week on the Federal Housing Administration's financial health is expected to show that the agency's reserve fund has significantly improved over the past year.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau slapped Franklin Loan Corp. with a $730,000 fine on Thursday for allegedly incentivizing loan officers to guide customers into mortgages with higher interest rates.

Fannie Mae has entered into deals with JPMorgan Chase and other companies that transfer some of the credit-loss risk on mortgage-backed securities to investors. Not only do these deals reduce the danger that taxpayers could be forced to cover the GSEs losses, they may help make mortgages more affordable.

Republicans are unlikely to push the ball forward on reform of the federal housing agencies, but Congress has a number of other opportunities to make changes that will encourage mortgage lending.

Trade groups press federal banking regulators to make the Basel III capital rule less onerous.

Regulators are preparing rules to curb financial risks of expanding nonbank mortgage companies after investigating homeowner complaints that include improper foreclosures and unauthorized fees.