Mortgage-bond traders at JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Scotland Group were placed on leave in recent weeks or months, according to people familiar with the matter.

Distressed homeowners who obtained loan modifications fell to approximately 42,000 in February, a 5% decrease from the month before and a sign that the number of borrowers needing assistance is declining, according to the Hope Now alliance.

The number of underwater homeowners who received principal reductions on their mortgages through the Keep Your Home California program increased dramatically in 2013.

But be aware of the business and regulatory risks associated with closing loans in your own name.

Commissioner Carole Galante says the Federal Housing Administration's insurance fund must be strengthened before insurance premiums can be reduced, but outlined alternatives to improve credit availability.

Legal Battles Took a Toll on JPMorgan Chase, but CEO Jamie Dimon is now urging investors to focus on the future. Among his top initiatives for 2014: making the most of big data and strengthening cybersecurity.

The Michigan company has pledged $1 million to help people buy homes in the Marygrove College neighborhood. Homeowners can get up to $25,000 and have $5,000 shaved off the balance each year they live there.

The USDA's Rural Housing Service is seeking congressional approve for a lender-funded update to its loan-guarantee program that will speed up loan processing.

Freddie Mac will soon add another automated review on the appraisal reports it receives through the Uniform Collateral Data Portal.

Bank of America Corp.'s Countrywide unit and insurer Allstate Corp. settled a 2010 lawsuit over $700 million in devalued mortgage-backed securities.

Disclosing loan-level data is crucial to rebuilding investor confidence in mortgage-backed securities. It also introduces the risk of compromising borrowers' personal information.

CoreLogic has agreed to add Equifax's the Work Number platform to Credco, its verification-of-employment service.

Stewart Title Co. has acquired quality control firm Wetzel Trott in a move to expand its origination and servicing audit and due diligence services.

Efforts to overhaul the housing-finance system could hinge on how far Congress is willing to go to ensure that young, low-income and minority homebuyers can get mortgages.

Citigroup Inc. agreed to pay $1.13 billion to settle claims from mortgage-bond investors as it seeks to curb liabilities tied to the financial crisis.

Prospective homeowners are increasingly more optimistic, with 38% of respondents to Fannie Mae's March 2014 National Housing Survey saying it is a good time to sell a home, compared to 26% a year ago.

After slogging through several quarters of high expenses and shrinking profits, some lenders are now selling mortgage servicing rights to raise cash to cover payroll and expenses, industry sources say.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau prohibits actions aimed at circumventing loan officer compensation rules. One example was a lender who permitted teams of LOs to share commissions.

Housing market trends continue to show improvement in February as housing prices stabilize and foreclosure starts decrease to 2005 levels, according to the March installment of the Obama administration's Housing Scorecard.

Unlicensed loan processor gets over six years in federal prison for his actions.