Originations

A court hearing this week could force housing officials to clarify a longstanding gray area in the reverse mortgage business: When the borrower dies, can the lender foreclose on a surviving spouse not named in the loan?

Housing starts were little changed in February after declining less than previously estimated a month earlier, indicating the homebuilding industry is stabilizing after bad winter weather curbed construction.

Barry Habib sees a window for mortgage originators to capitalize on low (and possibly even lower) interest rates and a shortage of homes.

The bill released by Sens. Tim Johnson and Mike Crapo would create a reinsurance fund to recoup losses on securities, establish a common securitization platform for the secondary mortgage market and open access to the secondary market for smaller lenders through a cooperative.

Mountain America Credit Union closed its first e-signed FHA mortgages, among the very first paperless loans executed under a policy enacted in January.

• Paperless FHA
• Servicing Roundtable
• Lender Outsourcing
• Appraisal Regulations

For lenders who use the administrative exemption or who have exempt branch managers, the new regulations will impact the base salary needed to maintain exempt status once regulations develop.

In the current tough mortgage environment, some lenders are willing to take the risk of lending to foreign nationals. The loans don't conform to regulations that took effect in January and typically are held on banks' balance sheets.

Giving the client an edge if there is a bidding war on a property.

The Federal Housing Administration is struggling with a high premium structure and competition from VA and GSEs.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency says institutions are taking a "proactive" approach to the dealing with potential payment shock on resetting home equity lines of credit.

Underwriting is back in style and underwriters are in high demand as the requirements of investors and regulatory considerations require more documentation and more scrutiny around whether a borrower can pay back the loan.

Borrowing short and lending long, which crashed the thrift market in the 1980s, and lowering underwriting standards, which crashed the mortgage market in the last decade, are rearing their heads again.

Third Federal Savings and Loan in Cleveland is planning to expand its residential lending into several additional states.

A cybersecurity firm claims many large and small mortgage lenders are being careless with customers’ personal and financial data.

Elected officials from President Obama to the new mayor of New York want to kick-start a building boom in affordable housing.

Home Affordable Refinance Program loans are receding with overall refinancing, but in January they still looked to be running at about 23% of agency refis. The program ends next year.

Black Knight Financial Services is seeking a buyer for PCLender, one of its three loan origination systems, three years after acquiring it.

Mortgage rates increased as the improving job market bolstered speculation that the Federal Reserve will keep scaling back its stimulus.

Originating loans secured by condominium apartments or multi-unit properties is similar to the process for single-family properties but their are some important distinctions.