Originations

Fannie Mae has expanded the list of third-party vendors approved to validate borrower income, employment and assets as part of the Desktop Underwriter validation service.

Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., reported a sharp increase in profits on a mix of higher fee income and lower credit costs.

The Connecticut bank said a spike in business lending and residential mortgages gave its fourth-quarter earnings a boost.

As the country's homes for sale inventory declines, prices and the percentage of homes going under contract quickly are rising, according to Redfin.

Fourth-quarter profits at Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., climbed 65% to $54.6 million from a year earlier, helped largely by acquisitions and increases in mortgage banking and other fee income.

In his confirmation hearing, Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin said he wanted to work with both parties to find a "bipartisan fix" for the housing finance system.

The increase for the month represented the fastest annual pace of appreciation recorded in 2016.

Commercial real estate loan growth and the Hudson City acquisition fueled fourth-quarter profit growth at M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y.

Mortgage interest rates dropped for the third consecutive week but remain higher than they were one year ago, according to Freddie Mac.

MGIC Investment Corp. reported net income of $107.5 million for the fourth quarter, an increase of nearly 5% over the $102.4 million earned in the same period of 2015.

Builders broke ground on more homes than forecast in December as a jump in apartment construction helped cap the seventh straight yearly increase, a report from the Commerce Department showed Thursday.

In a candid, in-depth exit interview, Ted Tozer discusses Ginnie Mae's growth during his seven years at the agency's helm, the need for comprehensive housing finance reform, big banks' retreat from mortgages, counterparty risk management and more.

Rising interest rates typically cause lenders to relax underwriting guidelines. The incoming administration promises to deregulate. Sounds like a combustible mix, but there's ample room to loosen credit without returning to the practices that caused the crisis.

The Justice Department claims the bank, which has received "satisfactory" ratings in its last four CRA exams, is failing to serve minority neighborhoods around Minneapolis.

Fannie Mae is readying its first credit risk transfer transaction of 2017.

And the next HUD chief might eventually rescind it altogether.

Three midsize banks projected increases in loans this year in the latest round of earnings discussions, but their levels of optimism varied, and their commercial lending strategies in some cases conflicted.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency could make the Community Reinvestment Act’s spirit relevant in a digital age so long as it builds the right framework for chartered fintech companies.

While precise definitions vary, the term generally describes a smooth customer experience that may not even require a phone call or branch visit.