Mortgages

Long before regulators put the spotlight on servicing-rights transfers, there were signs that many deals weren't going smoothly, leaving both borrowers and investors at risk.

Fannie Mae has created a new financing option for multifamily properties looking to undergo energy- and water-cost saving improvements.

Small loan amounts are offered at more expensive rates than those of higher amounts, according to an analysis of loan requests and quotes on Zillow Mortgages.

Before Dodd-Frank, proving risk management precautions were in place was enough; now, the only real defense lenders and servicers have is an audit trail showing how violations were avoided.

JPMorgan Chase has purchased $45 billion in servicing rights from embattled mortgage firm Ocwen Financial.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 3.85% this week, up from 3.8% last week and the highest since mid-March.

Mortgage origination activity slowed in the first quarter compared with the fourth quarter of 2014, but showed improvement on a year-over-year basis.

WashingtonFirst Bankshares in Reston, Va., has agreed to buy direct mortgage lender 1st Portfolio Holding Corp. in Fairfax, Va.

With support from Bank of America, a nonprofit lender is trying to revitalize Detroit by offering no-down-payment mortgages at up to 150% of a home's assessed value. The idea is to provide borrowers with enough cash to buy run-down homes and fix them up, and if the program works as promised it could prove to be a template for lending in other cities — like Baltimore — that have large swaths of boarded-up homes.

A reduction in refinancings led to an overall fall in mortgage applications as interest rates rose across the board, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

PrimeLending, a subsidiary of PlainsCapital Corp., has created a program aimed at providing closing cost assistance for underserved communities.

ACORE Capital announced Tuesday its formation as a commercial real estate finance and risk management solutions provider.

ING Real Estate Finance said that Craig Bender will reclaim his position as managing director as ING relaunches its U.S. real estate lending operations.

Home values rose in April but could not fully make up for the decline the month prior, according to Quicken Loans.

A survey of housing experts found that, while most believe it will become easier to obtain a mortgage in the next few years, renters may still not buy homes because of their economic situations.

The New York Department of Financial Services has announced new title insurance rates for consumers who refinance their mortgage.

The number of mortgage loan products offered increased in April, driven by lenders adding the FHA's 203K home improvement program, VA offerings and jumbo products to their mix.

Issuance of securities without government backing tied to homeowners with weak credit records or other imperfections has been frozen since 2008.

There continues to be improvement in the number of distressed homes nationwide, according to a report from CoreLogic.

It's not clear how much capital European insurers will need to hold against their investments in U.S. securitizations or whether they can even invest in some of these deals at all.