Originations

To the naked eye, it looks as if Bank of America is shrinking its Home Loans division. In mid-September, rumors emerged that its retreat from warehouse lending is imminent, and perhaps absolute, as part of a multiphased austerity program laser focused on mortgage lending.

The GSE regulator told House Democrats at a closed door meeting that the Federal Housing Finance Agency is committed to making meaningful changes to a special program that will allow more borrowers with high LTV loans to refinance at lower mortgage rates.

Helios AMC, a commercial real estate special servicer which is sponsored by Ranieri Partners, has acquired real estate advisory firm The Situs Companies. The combined entity will retain the Situs name. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Fitch Ratings found delinquencies on loans underlying commercial mortgage-backed securities declined for the second month in a row in September as its numbers bore out what the company has identified as a trend toward improvement in the hotel sector.

I was recently working with one of my executive coaching clients, the president of a professional services firm. We had an enlightening coaching conversation that revolved around whether wisdom can be developed or learned.

Bank of America continues to say that it's committed to retail mortgage lending, but the megabank suffered another blow recently with the departure of one of its top loan producers in the nation, Kevin Budde of Southern California.

Mortgage companies continued to pare back their payrolls in August as lenders cut 2,800 full-time employees during the month, following 1,900 layoffs in July.

The Obama Administration's efforts to expand a GSE refinancing program and reach a large number of underwater borrowers will depend on how far the Federal Housing Finance Agency will go in providing lenders relief from loan buy-backs, according to industry officials and analysts watching the effort.

Three quarters of commercial real estate executives surveyed by KPMG LLC said distressed real estate would have an impact on their investment strategies over the next 12 months.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D., Md., ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, and other members of Congress are set to meet with GSE regulator Ed DeMarco Thursday afternoon to discuss President Obama's yet-to-be released refinancing plan.

An analyst for FBR Capital Markets thinks Walter Investment Management could see the servicing rights for more loans coming to it from the Bank of America/Fannie Mae transaction.

GMAC Mortgage LLC, Fort Washington, Pa., and Loan Value Group, Rumson, N.J., have partnered in an effort to provide cash incentive rewards to certain VA borrowers who are under water on their loans, make timely and consistent payments on their mortgages and meet other criteria.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, continuing to test new lows, dropped below 4% for the first time in modern history to 3.94% during the week ending Oct. 6, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey.

The tax code may be broken, but now's not the time to fix it, at least as it pertains to the mortgage interest deduction and other write-offs afforded home owners, witnesses testified at a Senate hearing on tax reform options.

The Mortgage Technology Awards have a long tradition in the mortgage finance and technology industries for recognizing innovative technology developers and users that are promoting more efficient and cost-effective lending practices.

If you want your associates to be creative, innovative and flexible, it helps to make your meetings fun. Here are three examples.

Home prices in the U.S. decreased 0.4% in August on a sequential basis, the first monthly decline in four months, according to new figures released by CoreLogic.

The Federal Housing Administration, facing a dramatic increase in technical defaults on reverse mortgages, will launch a major review of its program with a possible overhaul coming down the road.

Bank of America this week made the decision to exit retail lending in six low volume states including Alabama, Alaska, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, National Mortgage News has learned.

Miami home sales in August increased 25% year-over-year, but home prices trended lower, according to a DataQuick report Wednesday.