Mortgages

Sales of previously owned homes increased more than projected in September, showing residential real estate continues to contribute modestly to growth.

Stewart Information Services Corp. is reshaping its board by adding three independent directors and its CEO to the panel as part of a settlement with its biggest shareholder, activist investor Starboard Value.

The second commercial mortgage securitization designed to comply with risk retention is backed by a single loan on a Manhattan skyscraper.

Refinance activity grew modestly in September, according to a report from Ellie Mae.

Mortgage Contracting Services has acquired title insurance and settlement services provider Lenders Title Solutions.

Many home equity line of credit borrowers don't know when their draw period ends, and many do not have plans in place to handle that transition, according to TD Bank.

Black Knight Financial Services has integrated technology from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with its LoanSphere Empower and LendingSpace loan origination systems.

Lenders asking whether bank loans are safe are missing the point and should instead be more concerned with the standard they apply when underwriting them.

The Internal Revenue Service's indefinite delay of a deadline for a new authentication procedure has headed off concerns about potential interruptions in mortgage production.

Mortgage applications increased 0.6% from one week earlier as rates rose 5 basis points on 30-year conforming and jumbo loans, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Profit improved at M&T Bank in the third quarter as the Buffalo, N.Y., company expanded commercial and mortgage lending and completed the sale of a large investment-securities portfolio.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau decried an appeals court ruling last week that found its single-director structure unconstitutional, saying the opinion was "wrongly decided" and had "no basis in the text of the Constitution or in Supreme Court case law."

New-home construction unexpectedly fell in September on a plunge in multifamily building while permits rose more than forecast, in signs of fitful progress in residential real estate.

MGIC Investment Corp. posted the biggest intraday gain in 11 weeks as third-quarter operating profit advanced on lower costs tied to soured home loans.

Confidence among homebuilders cooled in October from an 11-month high, reflecting a pause in the market for single-family houses.

Comerica is gaining momentum after a rough start to 2016.

Regions Financial reported a higher third-quarter profit, citing improved fee income from mortgage lending, capital markets and credit and debit cards.

Lenders and servicers haven't faced the same scrutiny over data security as their peers in retail and other financial services sectors. But mortgage companies must remain vigilant, as the extensive data they collect can expose consumers to identity theft if it got in the wrong hands.

By decreasing costs through technology, outsourcing and scale, servicers not only can give their margins a much-needed boost, but also set themselves up to reap rewards in the future.

Upcoming look-backs of key Dodd-Frank provisions like the Qualified Mortgage rule are unlikely to result in new regulatory changes. But any effort to revisit already-implemented rules should give cause for concern, legal experts warn.