Underwriting

Mandate for loan officers is to be able to inform on customers' specific financial needs in areas that extend well beyond the home loan.

A handful of institutions in the last year have rolled out loan programs targeting members of the military and first responders, but there could be risks associated with these mortgages if the economy takes a nosedive.

The post-crisis operational improvements at both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have resulted in stronger mortgage loan performance, a Fitch Ratings report said.

Mortgage and real estate professionals need to do a better job of educating consumers and themselves about the growing vulnerability to wire fraud schemes during the home buying process.

Mortgages using alternative documentation like bank statements for underwriting performed stronger than expected, but uncertainty remains about their default rates in stressed environments, Fitch Ratings said.

Mortgage application fraud risk declined for the second consecutive month in May as housing market dynamics shifted towards the buyers, First American said.

Making low-balance loans with poor economies of scale is tough in a market with slim margins, but it could have its rewards.

Because automated valuation models have not been subjected to a stressed housing market, their increased use holds negatives and positives for residential mortgage-backed securities credit quality, a Moody's report said.

Real value comes from the wholesaler using a hands-on approach to ensure that a mortgage broker's customers are treated to the best experience for the life of the loan.

Freddie Mac fulfilled its promise to offer a single mortgage that finances the home purchase price and improvements completed after closing.