Mortgages

The total return to investors from U.S.-based REITs in the first quarter was 10.41%, underperforming the S&P 500, which had a 12.59% return for the period, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. Still, REITs were successful in raising money during the period, possibly setting the stage to jump into the commercial refinance market.

Delinquency rates on home equity loans may have peaked during last summer, but they still remain at "troublesome" levels, according to a new report released by the American Bankers Association on Thursday.

First American Title Insurance Co.'s national commercial services division has created an energy group, consisting of land title examiners, attorneys, project coordinators and insurance underwriters to work exclusively on energy-related real estate transactions.

By at least two measures CMBS delinquencies took a notable upward turn in the last month, and by one measure new defaults also are still on the rise. But some observers believe the deterioration in performance is slowing in some areas and better days may lie ahead.

Wells Fargo was both the top commercial/multifamily mortgage originator and top lender for 2011, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is warning state homeowners to beware of phone solicitations from scammers claiming to provide assistance related to the recent national mortgage servicing settlement.

There is considerable emphasis placed on finding solutions to rising heath care costs for those 65 and older, but not enough is placed regarding housing and providing adequate support services for this same group, a Center for Housing Policy report states.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage during the week ending April 5 dropped to 3.98% from 3.99%, according to Freddie Mac's survey.

Small mortgage banking companies benefited from a 32% jump in loan production from the third quarter to the fourth quarter, but profitability per loan was crimped by a slight drop in pricing in the secondary mortgage market, according to a new report by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The National Fair Housing Alliance is putting the final touches to legal complaints against several undisclosed banks with very large foreclosure inventories on grounds of discrimination against communities of color and violation of the Fair Housing Act. The first complaint will be filed as early as next week.

Technology is an essential factor in the ongoing efforts to advance the efficiency and effectiveness of field service providers’ operations.

In the early days of the financial crisis investors were lining up for the mother of all loan auctions. It was thought to be the best buying opportunity for bad debt since the S&L crisis. And then a funny thing happened: banks and investment bankers decided not to dump their nonperforming loans, at least not in large numbers - or at fire - sale prices.

If there is any one thing the mortgage sales person should take away from what has happened in the last few years (and still what is happening in the loan modification segment), is that they must operate with ethics and integrity. The taint of a few taints everybody.

The credit union lobby - in the midst of a flurry of new regulatory proposals - is calling on the National Credit Union Administration for a temporary halt to new rulemaking while credit unions catch their breath.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's three-year effort to develop standardized loan data reporting requirements for newly originated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages will finally go live this month.

One of the major contributors to the housing bubble and subsequent collapse of the market was overinflated prices. Now, believes one CEO, the opposite scenario exists.

Nearly three out of every four loan applications taken over the Mortgage Marvel on-loan shopping website last year were for refinancing.

The Federal Housing Administration is taking an extra step to make sure certain homeowners aren't locked out of a special refinancing program that President Obama unveiled on March 6.

Signaling their optimism about the state of the economy, many bankers are predicting that problem loans will moderate and consumer lending will perk up over the next six months, according to a new FICO survey released Tuesday.

Prices of homes sold by owner/occupants are rising for the first time in years and there has been modest price appreciation in January and February, according to a new CoreLogic report.