Mortgages

Regulators have given the merger between CIT Group and OneWest Bank the green light — so long as CIT comes up with a revised Community Reinvestment Act plan. This condition is good news for the low-income communities impacted by the merger and sets a strong precedent for regulators' review of future bank deals.

EverBank Financial, driven by growth in jumbo mortgage originations, had second quarter home loan volume of $2.7 billion, up from $2.2 billion one year prior.

Down payments increased in size in the second quarter, as competition for homes picked up this summer, according to LendingTree.

BOK Financial in Tulsa, Okla., reported higher second-quarter earnings as mortgage banking and loan growth offset an increase in expenses.

Ellie Mae has obtained a patent for its automated mortgage origination and processing software.

Mortgage applications for the week ending July 24 rose by nearly a percentage point, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Fewer Americans signed contracts in June to buy previously owned homes, representing a pause in the housing market's momentum.

The Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program is renewing calls for further investigation of servicers it claims may be denying too many Home Affordable Modification Program applications.

A survey from Fannie Mae found that lenders use credit overlays in a limited manner, with some variations based on channel.

The price of loans that underlie commercial mortgage-backed securities fell from May to June, according to DebtX.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is charging two companies affiliated with Western Union and Fidelity National Financial more than $38 million in total charges for allegedly steering consumers into a mortgage payment program that cost them millions of dollars in fees.

Flagstar Bank far outpaced expectations for its second-quarter results due to high loan sales and a strengthened portfolio from the subtraction of lower performing loans.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors recently challenged college students to examine how community banks survived the financial crisis, and the contest highlighted innovative strategies used by Main Street banks such as Bank of American Fork in Utah.

Atlantic Coast Mortgage's Ashley Smith explains why keeping her referral partners happy is the key to her success as a loan officer.

For servicers seeking to differentiate themselves with mortgage investors, the ability to quickly resolve a delinquent loan has taken a backseat to demonstrating a strict adherence to the swath of new compliance requirements that have transformed the industry.

The government-sponsored enterprises are buying conforming mortgages with as little as 3% down, but the new policy can't improve the housing market by itself.

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose at a slower pace in the year ended May, keeping more properties within reach for prospective buyers.

RealtyTrac has named a new chief executive, as Jamie Moyle becomes chairman of the board's innovation committee, and Rob Barber will become CEO on Aug. 17.

Demand for apartment rentals continued to rise in the second quarter, while the use of debt financing declined, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council.

The California Housing Finance Agency has ended its use of a U.S. Treasury liquidity program that the agency had relied on since 2009.