Originations

Conforming mortgage rates are at their highest level this year after increasing 51 basis points since Election Day, according to Freddie Mac.

Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin's plan to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government control could mean increased competition for lenders' loans. But it could also prompt a rise in mortgage rates.

Even before taking office, Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin has said he wants to return Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the private sector, a radically different vision of housing finance reform than that pushed by other Republicans.

Arch Capital Group plans to offer $950 million of senior notes, using the proceeds to fund a portion of its acquisition of United Guaranty Corp. and AIG United Guaranty Insurance (Asia) Ltd. from AIG.

President-elect Donald Trump recognizes that full repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act is unlikely, though he supports a House effort to make significant changes, according to a former banker who was on the shortlist to be Treasury secretary.

The average credit score nationwide rose four points from last year to 673 points, according to Experian.

Mortgage application volume decreased 9.4% from one week earlier as key interest rates hit their highest level since July 2015, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

President-elect Donald Trump's imminent choice for Commerce secretary is a billionaire investor who swooped in to prop up troubled banks after the financial meltdown. Some members of the banking world, including regulators, may be glad he was picked for Commerce chief instead of Treasury secretary.

Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin wasted no time Wednesday wading into one of the thorniest debates in the financial services arena, saying the Trump administration would seek to end government control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Much like President-elect Donald Trump himself, expected Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin represents something of a question mark for bankers when it comes to his agenda.

While President-elect Donald Trump already faces numerous potential conflicts-of-interest between his businesses and the presidency, his real estate ties and campaign promises raise serious questions about his approach to the housing industry.

United Wholesale Mortgage is getting rid of escrow waiver fees for certain loans in a bid to make brokers more competitive with mortgage banks.

Mortgage bankers are anxiously waiting to see who President-elect Donald Trump will pick as the next Treasury secretary. Several prominent names have been floated for the job, though with every passing day, a new possible choice seems to pop up. Following is a look at the current crop of candidates and their chances.

Freddie Mac has published a list of companies that meet its requirements regarding the creation, signing and storage of electronic promissory notes.

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities continued to climb in September, while a gauge of values nationwide exceeded the pre-recession peak, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller data.

Many big banks are backing away from the retail channel and FHA lending due to rising compliance costs. But U.S. Bank Home Mortgage President Tom Wind sees an opportunity to leverage those challenges to improve efficiency and transparency.

Demand for housing settled down in October after ramping up a month earlier, according to Redfin.

John Allison, a contender for President-elect Donald Trump's Treasury secretary, is a staunch opponent of the Federal Reserve Board, the Basel international accords, the government's support of the housing finance industry and the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.

Income gains and low interest rates have contributed to the most affordable housing market in a quarter-century, according to First American Financial Corp.

The election results will only intensify factors making competition with bank lenders more difficult, including the effect of interest rates as well as the regulatory environment.