Originations

The Rural Housing Service has quietly launched a new construction loan program designed to increase the availability of new homes in rural areas.

The Department of Justice wants banks to more fully cooperate with civil investigations. Companies now are expected to "materially assist" the agency in providing documents, access to witnesses and even inculpatory documentary evidence such as emails and text messages.

Eight years after high-risk, deceptive lending practices precipitated a near-meltdown of the global economy, we learned that at least 5,300 Wells Fargo employees created 2 million sham accounts that its customers apparently did not want, need or understand.

Deutsche Bank isn't the only lender wrestling with the U.S. to resolve an investigation into toxic mortgage bonds: Credit Suisse Group and Barclays are also each in settlement talks with the Justice Department.

Low interest rates are keeping the housing market strong even as affordability keeps declining, according to Freddie Mac.

Mortgage application volume was down on lower refinance activity, even though rates declined from the previous week.

In some housing markets, the right combination of wages, home prices and rental market conditions makes owning a home a virtual no-brainer. Here's a look at the top markets with the largest affordability spread between owning and renting.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle the first of three major U.S. mortgage-backed securities probes the bank must overcome before it can resume dividend payments.

The Federal Housing Administration issued a proposal Tuesday that would make it easier for lenders to secure government guarantees for condominium loans.

The jury is still out on whether new sports stadiums are economic engines for their communities. But when it comes to housing alone, new stadiums are a boon for local home sales, but don't always contribute to home price appreciation.