Secondary markets

President Trump has signed the Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act, which aims to address concerns that rules around certain VA refinances were impeding those loans' inclusion in secondary market pools.

Waterstone Mortgage is now qualifying borrowers without a traditional credit history for both its conventional and government mortgage programs.

Pretax mortgage income at NVR Inc. surged 37% year-over-year in the second quarter while originations rose 1%, contrasting more tepid home-loan earnings results relative to originations at big banks.

A Nomura Holdings Inc. unit will repay customers about $25 million to settle U.S. regulators' allegations that it failed to supervise traders who made false statements in negotiating sales of mortgage securities.

Lenders who employ a technology stack that tracks, collects and analyzes homebuyer behavior will have a distinct advantage as application volume rises.

After the government-sponsored enterprise patch expires, "near prime" loans over the 43% debt-to-income ratio should be qualified mortgages if they have compensating factors, according to the Center for Responsible Lending.

Making low-balance loans with poor economies of scale is tough in a market with slim margins, but it could have its rewards.

Freddie Mac fulfilled its promise to offer a single mortgage that finances the home purchase price and improvements completed after closing.

As officials prepare plans for the government-sponsored enterprises' exit from conservatorship, there's no shortage of speculation about what those plans might look like and how they might affect the mortgage industry.

Housing finance agencies reported increased demand for their loan products, but at the same time the inventory shortage constrains activity and drives them to work with other public entities to find solutions, Moody's said.