Mortgages

Government officials increasingly encourage looser credit benefiting low- to moderate-income borrowers, but some lenders who make these loans said it's easier said than done. Here's why.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro challenged lenders to make more mortgages, saying the credit pendulum has swung too far on the side of caution.

Exclusivity provisions in marketing services agreements are not per se illegal, but their inherent anti-competitive nature and inherent suggestiveness of consumer steering could be a regulatory concern.

Ginnie Mae on Monday released updated net worth and liquidity requirements for issuers of mortgage-backed securities.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is close to issuing refinements to the government-sponsored enterprises' representation-and-warranty framework that will limit lender liability on buybacks of legacy loans.

WASHINGTON — Two key Democrats are asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate the financial stability of nonbank mortgage servicers and potential harms to borrowers.

Life insurance companies' returns from commercial mortgages in this year's second quarter fell slightly to 2.23%, according to the LifeComps Commercial Mortgage Loan Index.

If they take control of the Senate next year, GOP leaders may want to show they can get legislative results ahead of the 2016 Presidential election.

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Home retention strategies outpaced foreclosure sales in August by a five-to-one ratio, according to the Hope Now alliance.

Changes to representation-and-warranty contracts are also expected to be announced at the MBA Annual.

A wide swath of banks, from Fifth Third to SunTrust to Huntington, report big increases in refinance applications in the past few days as mortgage rates have dipped. Will it last?

Mortgage lenders are threatening to halt lending on condominiums in Nevada after the state Supreme Court upheld a law allowing homeowners associations to foreclose ahead of first mortgage holders.

Many lenders think home loans are off-limits for undocumented immigrants because they lack Social Security numbers, but higher-cost loans using borrowers' individual taxpayer identification numbers are available and being made by a handful of firms.

Among the most intriguing aspects of DocMagic's $1.2 million acquisition of eSignSystems is the relationships DocMagic now has with vendors that private label eSignSystems technology, many of whom compete with its own document preparation software.

People's United Financial in Bridgeport, Conn., said solid growth in commercial and mortgage loans drove third-quarter net income up 5% to $61.6 million, or 21 cents per share.

Las Vegas is not only about buffets, but it's still known more for the variety of food it lays out than a particular dish.

Attendees who get to the Mortgage Bankers Association's annual conference in Vegas a little early can take a day trip to view of some amazing natural (and man-made) landmarks.

The second-quarter volume of commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased $24.9 billion, or 1%, from the previous quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, as some of the top investors increase their holdings.

The Obama administration is pushing to ease access to mortgage credit, particularly for first-time homebuyers, but it doesn't appear likely it will employ one of its most readily-available tools.