Originations

Federal regulators should allow three-year ARMs and certain interest-only loans to be classified as "qualified mortgages" that will be exempt from risk retention rules, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

A heavy concentration in commercial real estate is an asset when Warburg Pincus comes calling.

Which would you rather have? We know that may sound like a strange title but please stay with us and you will learn a great marketing lesson. We are always asked why we choose the reverse mortgage program as our specialty. Many years ago we learned a valuable lesson which we will share with you in this article.

The National Credit Union Administration this week said CUs must accept alternative, non-traditional credit reports at a member's request when deciding on the borrower's creditworthiness. (In credit union parlance, customers of an institution are referred to as 'members.')

The increase in the annual mortgage insurance premium for the Federal Housing Administration’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage standard program was a “dramatic” one, a long-time participant in the reverse mortgage business said. This change was introduced at the same time as the HECM Saver program.

A pool of $11 billion in mortgages with recourse to the nation's largest homebuilder may not have met investor guidelines and analysts project PulteGroup may be on the hook for as much as $323 million in buybacks from secondary market investors.

The White House wants the Federal Housing Administration to enter the business of co-insuring small loans to finance energy-saving home improvements.

Total Mortgage Services, a fast growing nonbank lender based in Milford, Conn., this week received final approval to originate home mortgages in New York state.

Radian Group Inc. on Tuesday increased the size of its convertible senior note offering to $400 million, a $50 million hike from its initial plan.

Home values across the U.S. fell 0.2% in the third quarter, signaling more trouble ahead for the mortgage and housing industries, according to the latest House Price Index from Integrated Asset Services.

Many sales experts I have spoken with, read about or observed over the years all list the most important skill as the ability to listen. And that starts with asking the right questions.

National City's warehouse lending chief Paul Best has landed a job with People's United Bank of Connecticut, one of the largest thrifts in the Northeast.

ATLANTA—The NeighborWorks Mortgage Source product and pricing engine was created to give consumers and credit counselors a level playing field with lenders in terms of information, the head of the technology firm behind the system declared.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is abandoning its current assessment system of charging premiums based on an insured-institution's deposits, moving toward a system based on asset size.

The foreclosure document debacle, a huge embarrassment and liability for mortgage servicers, could soon also ensnare the banks that act as trustees for securitizations.

Several small banks tightened their credit standards on prime and "nontraditional" mortgages over the past three months, according to a new Federal Reserve Board survey.

Mortgage insurer Genworth Financial said it is now accepting FHA appraisals as part of its conventional mortgage underwriting process, a move designed to save borrowers — and lenders — time and money.

The mortgage banking division of LendingTree plans to hire 125 full timers — including loan officers — to work at its headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

Radian Group Inc., Philadelphia, is selling up to $350 million of convertible senior notes, using the net proceeds for working capital, including cash that will go into its mortgage insurance business.

The Rural Housing Service late last week re-opened its single-family loan program and it is guaranteeing new mortgages once again.