Originations

There is a new resource for consumers to turn to when they are seeking information about how credit scores work. The website www.creditscorequiz.org is a joint project of the Consumer Federation of America and VantageScore Solutions Inc.

I was walking home from school when Gary, a kid from my third grade class, fell in beside me and started chatting. I'd never spoken with him before, and I had no idea why he was talking to me, but I enjoyed it. Here was someone, who I did not know, who was interested in me; it was a new experience and it felt good.

National quarter-over-quarter home prices have declined for the third consecutive month in the Home Data Market Index Report by Clear Capital.

Average 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rates tracked by Freddie Mac remained the same during the week ending March 10 in a market where recent employment indicators have been mixed.

Bank of America this week reiterated to investors that it has recognized up to 75% of expected claims tied to loan repurchase requests from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Option adjustable-rate mortgage and alternative-A mortgage loss severities in February increased while jumbo and subprime severities were either stable or improved, according to a Barclays report.

Three surviving spouses of reverse mortgage borrowers have sued HUD, alleging that what HUD characterized in 2008 as a clarification of its policy constituted a change from long-established federal rules that should have protected them from having to repay lost equity in order to stay in their homes.

Homebuyer traffic was up in February, as slowly rising mortgage rates have buyers aware that the time to lock in a near-historic low rate is now, according to a monthly survey of real estate agents.

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers is expected to file suit against the Federal Reserve Board Wednesday morning, seeking to block the agency's controversial loan officer compensation rule.

The seasonally adjusted Mortgage Bankers Association index that tracks purchase applications hit a high for the year during the week ending March 4.

Lenders can and should take any number of steps to prevent class action law suits. But that still may not keep them from being sued, a team of regulatory attorneys warned at the Real Estate Service Providers Council's annual meeting in Las Vegas.

Advertising practices in the reverse mortgage segment have dodged one form of scrutiny as the Federal Reserve Board pulled its proposed rulemaking in this area. But that is only temporary, as it said it will leave the task for the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Two weeks ago today I had an operation that caused me to lose my voice. Now before you go ahead and say, “Who cares?” Let me share the marketing lesson with you.

When it comes to short sales, it seems that lenders come up short, at least in California.

Federal Reserve Board staffers may be reconsidering their position on how fees paid to real estate brokerage and title agency affiliates of mortgage firms are treated under the agency's pending loan officer compensation rule, National Mortgage News has learned.

Lenders are finding that more seniors are turning to Federal Housing Administration-insured reverse mortgages as a last resort to their financial problems, according to Generation Mortgage chairman Jeff Lewis.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s section 184 guaranteed American Indian mortgage has passed $2 billion in loans extended.

Fitch Ratings is likely to cut the insurer financial strength rating of Republic Mortgage Insurance Co. to junk status following a detailed review of the insurer’s performance. Fitch put RMIC on Rating Watch Negative status; it also downgraded the parent company Old Republic International as well as ORI's title insurance subsidiary.

Redwood Trust officials have been hearing plenty of talk about other firms entering the jumbo MBS space—but aren’t holding their breath about seeing new bonds issued anytime soon.

Roughly 23.1% of all residential homes encumbered with mortgages (11.1 million units) were in a negative equity position at yearend, according to new figures released by CoreLogic, Santa Ana, Calif.