Underwriting

Mortgage bankers facing new demands on their businesses are becoming increasingly interested in new sources of liquidity, particularly through mortgage servicing rights financing vehicles.

VidVerify, a new company started by a co-founder of Lenders One, produces online videos that educate borrowers on the milestones of the mortgage process, while helping lenders ensure regulatory compliance.

With older appraisers retiring and fewer and fewer college graduates entering the profession, industry observers say that, in five to 10 years, there won't be enough appraisers to handle the volume of home sales. For lenders, that could mean higher appraisal fees and long delays in closing loans — at a time when technology could be speeding up the process.

The total number of new home equity lines of credit increased 36% in the first quarter according to Equifax.

Mortgage applications decreased for the week ending May 15, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey.

Politicians and regulators need to get with the times — for the sake of the housing market and its participants.

A lack of available financing for small investors is hindering the recovery of the commercial real estate market, says National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.

The multifamily market is heating up as apartment owners and investors refinance in a rush to lock in low interest rates, but caps on government-backed lending programs are threatening to disrupt momentum.

Fannie Mae has created a new financing option for multifamily properties looking to undergo energy- and water-cost saving improvements.

Small loan amounts are offered at more expensive rates than those of higher amounts, according to an analysis of loan requests and quotes on Zillow Mortgages.

The number of mortgage loan products offered increased in April, driven by lenders adding the FHA's 203K home improvement program, VA offerings and jumbo products to their mix.

Most banks appear to be coping well with the CFPB's ability-to-repay rule for mortgages, but the burden is falling harder on community banks. A new proposal that would allow more small lenders to grant home loans to borrowers with high levels of debt could help.

A lot of bankers want on-balance-sheet mortgages declared ultrasafe under federal rules, and Wells Fargo executive Brad Blackwell explains why he thinks it's in their self-interest more than ever to live up to their arguments in favor of such a policy.

Sutherland Asset Management has launched a bridge lending division called Ready Capital Structured Finance to strengthen its existing direct commercial lending platform.

Most title professionals will be prepared when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau implements its TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule on Aug. 1, according to the American Land Title Association.

Increased wealth inequality among Americans is correlated with decreasing levels of homeownership, a new study from the National Association of Realtors reports.

Conforming loan rates hit their highest levels in two months during the first week of May, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Quarterly delinquency rates hit their second lowest rate since 2007-2008's real estate meltdown, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Benworth Capital has launched a $50 million capital raise for a technology-based platform it's touting as the place where real estate opportunity meets crowdfunding transparency.

The CFPB found that more than 26 million consumers are effectively "credit invisible" because they have no credit record and another 19 million are "unscored" because they have an insufficient or stale credit history. But it's unclear how the CFPB plans to tackle the issue.