Secondary markets

A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit accusing the Department of Housing and Urban Development of setting up its reverse-mortgage program in a way that makes it more likely a surviving spouse will end up in foreclosure.

As of yearend 2012 up to $49.3 billion in deals monitored by Fitch Ratings currently are under the scrutiny of a special servicer.

Mesa West Capital has funded two commercial mortgages secured by properties in the Denver area totaling over $47 million.

The Senate debate over the confirmation of a Federal Housing Administration commissioner has revealed a divide between some Republican lawmakers over the reason the FHA mortgage insurance fund is in the red.

The long-term rate-indicative Treasury yield, which started the week at levels close to 1.7%, had surpassed 1.9% as of Friday morning.

Freddie Mac has planned its first offering of multifamily structured mortgage pass-through certificate deal of the year.

The congressional playbook for the new year is a familiar one, as lawmakers will continue to oversee implementation of the Dodd-Frank reform law and possibly begin to make inroads on housing finance reform.

There was a 21.6% decline in mortgage application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis during the last two weeks of 2012 as refinancings during the week of Dec. 28 were at their lowest point since April.

Walter Investment Management Corp., the parent of Reverse Mortgage Solutions, has agreed to purchase Security One Lending.

The Eleventh Federal Home Loan District Cost of Funds Index reached 1% in November, the all-time low for the series. In October, the index was 1.011%.

TCW Group Inc., Pacific Investment Management Co. and DoubleLine Capital LP are forecasting gains for mortgage bonds without government backing.

Northstar Bank of Texas, Denton, Texas, has acquired the controlling interest in Goldome Financial Inc.

All industry stocks on this publication’s Mortgage Industry Equity Composite ended the trading day Wednesday with gains, with mortgage insurer MGIC leading the pack.

While the qualified mortgage definition is approaching a deadline this month, there are some in the securitized market worried about the rulemaking dragging on.

Lenders have originated just 2,015 FHA-insured short refinancings since the Federal Housing Administration launched the special program in August 2010 to provide a refinancing outlet for underwater borrowers with private label alt-A and subprime loans.

The Federal Housing Administration will take several additional steps to maximize recovery in the areas of loss mitigation and asset management.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has won a bid to dismiss a lawsuit that stems from its sale of securities backed by U.S. residential mortgages.

Jacksonville Bancorp has sold $25.1 million of troubled assets and completed its previously announced $50 million capital raise.

Between $500 million and $600 million will be returned to the MF Global Inc. estate under an agreement.

Jumbo originator PHH Mortgage Corp. is heading toward a new year with some changes under the hood.