Mortgages

The Federal Trade Commission has obtained a court order barring the owners of several Florida companies that operated under the guise of being law firms from offering mortgage loan modification and debt relief services.

A surge in new and existing home sales is prompting lenders to increase their payrolls.

Luxury-condo builder Extell Development Co. said it obtained a construction loan for a lower Manhattan project after months of delays, and bought more time to get financing for a planned tower on Billionaires' Row in Midtown.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Sept. 2.

The slow start to Fifth Third's 3%-down mortgage illustrates some of the logistical challenges with such programs, which are on the rise across the industry.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has released the details of its next nonperforming residential loan sale through the Distressed Asset Stabilization Program.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage delinquency rates remained low during the second quarter, although two lender categories reported an increase, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Mortgage Bankers Association has long been a staunch defender of the mortgage interest deduction. But the group's president and CEO now says he's open to Congress reducing, or even eliminating, the tax break.

More homeowners think now is a good time to sell a home than buy one, according to Zillow.

Mortgage rates moved slightly higher in reaction to Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen's Aug. 26 speech, but still remain near their all-time record lows, according to Freddie Mac.

Bank of America is approaching the consumer-relief target set in its mortgage settlement with the Department of Justice and six states, according to the settlement's monitor.

The first reboot of S&P 500 Index group weights in almost two decades has arrived, shaking up stock portfolios and conjuring an industry out of real estate investment trusts that will infuse at least one lightweight ETF with sudden riches.

Caliber Home Loans is preparing a second subprime residential mortgage securitization, just months after completing its first U.S. subprime asset-backed deal of the post-crisis era.

In an unusual move, Fannie Mae has obtained credit ratings for eight previously unrated tranches of five Connecticut Avenue Securities transactions issued between 2012, when the program was launched, and 2015.

It's the end of an era for BankUnited as John Kanas will step aside as president and chief executive on Jan. 1.

Home purchase applications are at their highest level in almost five years but a level that is still considered weak, according to the Freddie Mac Multi-Indicator Market Index.

Plenty of banks have ended their federal loss-share deals early, but despite the incentives to wind them down, plenty more still have these crisis-era arrangements in place. It may be due to varying deadlines, mistakes calculating loan values or worries that they still might need the coverage for home equity lines.

The National Association of Realtors is urging policymakers to implement reforms meant to qualify more condominium buyers for Federal Housing Administration loans.

Loan defects and misrepresentation are occurring at the lowest levels in recent history thanks to the refinance boom spurred by low interest rates and better loan manufacturing processes.

Contracts to purchase previously owned homes increased more than forecast in July, indicating further strength in the housing market.