Mortgages

"A slight upward turn reflects a modest improvement in housing affordability, primarily because mortgage rates descended to 6.5% in August," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a prepared statement.

Affordability improved for a fourth straight month, but questions remain about whether recent trends will bring a significant number of buyers into the housing market.

Mortgage bankers feared a proposal related to lenders' access to a major secondary market and related reporting was too harsh. They're eyeing a redraft closely.

Mortgage rates being at a two-year low has not moved potential buyers off the sidelines, Freddie Mac says, but Redfin says demand for home tours is up.

CV3 Financial Services, started by long-time business purpose lending executive William Tessar, just celebrated one year in business and topping the $1 billion mark.

The changes will help servicers expedite submission of necessary forms needed in credit reporting disputes.

The state, with the support of its Realtors, will be mandating that real estate salespeople have a contract with the home seekers they are representing.

Purchase activity trudged along during what lenders describe as a traditional end-of-summer slump.

Servicers have been concerned about prepayments and delinquencies picking up in a lower rate environment, and both have been notably higher in the short term.

James B. Nutter & Co., after its legal victory over the Justice Department in July, agreed to a $2.4 million False Claims Act settlement over poorly underwritten reverse mortgages.