Originations

Hendrix Montecastro and his mother were both convicted in a $142 million scheme.

Citigroup and Assurant have agreed to pay $110 million to settle charges that it forced thousands of homeowners to purchase expensive property insurance in order to profit from kickbacks and commissions.

Acquiring the mortgage analytics vendor Interthinx would give First American more products and services to match its rival title insurer Fidelity National — and former subsidiary CoreLogic, spun off in 2010.

Housing boom-era mortgage securitizations, written off as "toxic waste" during the financial crisis, are performing better than investors once expected, thanks to the rebound in home prices.

The appraisal industry has seen many changes within the past few years, and with greater oversight and scrutiny coming from every direction—appraisers are under the microscope.

Green Tree Servicing, a unit of Walter Investment Management, is leaving the wholesale mortgage lending business.

Mortgage rates for 30-year loans fell for a fifth week as stock market volatility and weaker-than-expected economic reports drove investors to the safety of the government bonds.

Job and income growth could pave the way for lenders to loosen guidelines late in the year. In the meantime, new regulations and repurchase risk are keeping the industry gun-shy.

First American Financial Corp. signed a definitive agreement to acquire Interthinx for $155 million from its parent company, Verisk Analytics.

Some advice on learning to "play well with others" in your office.

Modified loans represent a potentially volatile portfolio that could become increasingly unstable over the next several years as loan modifications begin to reset.

A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme that cost financial institutions millions of dollars.

Crossline Capital in Lake Forest, Calif., has completed its acquisition of Medallion Mortgage Co. in Agoura Hills for an undisclosed price.

The Federal Housing Administration's long-awaited decision to start accepting electronic signatures on mortgage documents will cut down on costs and streamline operations for banks and other mortgage lenders. But the industry still faces several hurdles before it can reap the benefits of this technology upgrade.

Plucky mortgage bankers and brokers across the country are betting they can address the needs of the purchase market better than their cost-conscious competition.

Radian's new mortgage insurance written was down 21% year-over-year, but credit quality improved.

The contest, as it were, is not really over when the big game ends.

Mortgage applications volume increased 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Jan. 31, according to the MBA.

Republicans insist on making the debt-ridden insurance program actuarially sound.

K-deals transfer a portion of the mortgages' risk away from taxpayers and to private investors who purchase the unguaranteed subordinate bonds in transactions.