Originations

Clinton Group Inc., an investment manager which says it is one of the largest shareholders in Radian Group Inc., is calling on the Philadelphia-based private mortgage insurer to put itself up for sale.

Documenting and verifying a borrower’s income is one of the most basic tasks for an underwriter. While this appears to be relatively simple, validating income has become increasingly complex and susceptible to borrower fraud.

A panel of diversified lenders at the Urban Land Institute's spring meeting in Charlotte described a healthy mortgage market in which only the long shots are having trouble finding funding these days.

The National Flood Insurance Program is due to expire at the end of this month and the Senate still can’t seem to find a way to pass a short-term extension or move ahead with a comprehensive reform bill that re-authorizes the program for five years.

You remember the HARP program, don’t you? Originally, the idea was to refinance current but high LTV Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac borrowers into new, lower-rate loans—provided they were current. Home values (and lack of equity) reeked havoc on the concept so Uncle Sam took the LTV girdle off.

Mortgage interest rates may be at historically low levels, but the housing industry is not helping the overall economic recovery in the U.S. With the secondary market all but dried up except for Freddie and Fannie, who together purchased over three-quarters of originations in 2011, getting a mortgage these days is near impossible—perfect borrowers need only apply.

Given today’s rancorous partisan atmosphere, which has almost shut the Congress down, what measure do you think you could get a 400-0 vote on?

Like any other discipline, selling should be learned and practiced in order to achieve effective results. Seminars, sales coaches, tapes, books, blogs and articles are some resources that might prove informative.

For No. 3 producer Shelly Logemann, it is being responsive to her clients, plus having the proper work/life balance which is important to her success as an originator.

Abhinav Asthana of Wipro Gallagher Solutions discusses issues and trends around mobile technology.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the government’s Small Business Review Panel next week will hold a private forum on its new proposal to revise the way loan officers, brokers and lenders are compensated on loan transactions.

One of the nation’s largest real estate brokerage firms said home sales were essentially flat in April after a 25% spike in March.

The long-term rate-indicative 10-year Treasury yield has officially dropped to and matched its 52-week low of 1.7%.

Healthcare Trust of America Inc., a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based nonlisted real estate investment trust, said it is looking to start trading its Class A common stock over the New York Stock Exchange.

Loan officers and brokers are none too thrilled with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s 37-page proposal on altering the way loan officers, brokers, and lenders are compensated on all mortgage transactions.

Investors who are interested in acquiring distressed properties are confident that there is an adequate supply of inventory available to choose from throughout the country, according to a survey by Information Management Network.

MGIC Investment Corp. has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Milwaukee against Freddie Mac and its conservator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, over the pool insurance dispute between the two companies.

A significant barrier to tribal homeownership may change as the House of Representatives, in a rare show of bipartisan support, has passed the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act without a single dissenting vote.

More from a contributor who wishes to remain anonymous but wanted to spread the word that taking care of your personal well being is the way to outperform the competition.

The Consumer Financial Protection Board stated that it will continue to use the doctrine of disparate impact in its supervisory and enforcement activities.