Mortgage Buybacks

Browse articles from all of our Newsletters related to Mortgage Buybacks.

May 18, 2012 - Inside Mortgage Trends

Buyback Activity Slowed Sharply in 1Q12, But Massive Overhang Remains

Mortgage buybacks may have declined significantly during the first quarter of 2012, but a new Inside Mortgage Trends analysis shows that the volume of unresolved repurchase demands continued to set new record highs. Bank call-report data show that financial institutions reported a total of $4.12 billion in mortgage repurchases and indemnifications during the first quarter of this year. That was down 23.0 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011 and the lowest quarterly volume since the beginning of last year. It is particularly encouraging since the first-quarter data...(Includes two data charts)


May 10, 2012 - Inside Mortgage Finance

How to Limit Buybacks: Cultivate Clean Lending Processes and Business Culture

Although there are signs that the clouds may be lifting over the five-year housing recession, mortgage lenders face unrelenting pressure from investors to repurchase loans or cover their losses. Some buyback requests are legitimate and should be honored, said David Stevens, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, during a speech at the trade group’s secondary market conference in New York this week. “But lenders are finding more and more loans being sent back for repurchase for minor, technical mistakes that had questionable relevance to loan performance,” he said. The threat of repurchases...


April 27, 2012 - Inside Nonconforming Markets

Option One Settles Non-Agency Claims with SEC

The company formerly known as Option One reached a $28.2 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week regarding issuance of subprime mortgage-backed securities in early 2007. The SEC said Option One’s MBS “operated as a fraud or deceit” against non-agency MBS investors. “The offering documents misled investors about Option One’s precarious financial condition and, hence, its inability to fulfill its obligations on its own to repurchase ...


April 27, 2012 - Inside Nonconforming Markets

Non-Agency MBS Repurchase Requests Increase

Repurchase requests on mortgages in non-agency mortgage-backed securities increased for major banks during the first quarter of 2012 compared with the end of 2011, according to a new analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. However, the lenders have challenged the vast majority of the claims and a significant court decision appears to be heading toward ...


April 20, 2012 - Inside The GSEs

Senator Asks FHFA For ‘Clear’ GSE Repurchase Process

The Federal Housing Finance Agency should give consideration to creating a mechanism to allow small mortgage lenders to more easily appeal GSE repurchase demands, according to one U.S. senator.In a letter sent last week to FHFA Acting Director Edward DeMarco, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, said several of her small-business constituents have noted a “sharp increase” in repurchase demands over the last year.


April 20, 2012 - Inside MBS & ABS

Lack of Procedures for Resolving Buyback Disputes A Credit Negative for Any MBS Transaction

Lack of procedures for resolving repurchase conflicts between non-agency MBS investors and providers of representations and warranties could negatively affect the rating for any newly issued residential MBS, according to a new analysis by Moody’s Investors Service. The volume of unresolved repurchase conflicts between MBS investors and reps and warranties providers can be gauged by the number of lawsuits and the growing dollar value of settlements, said Moody’s analyst Kathryn Kelbaugh. The issue was thrust into the spotlight recently because 82 percent of the loans backing the $746 million non-agency...


Poll

Are current mortgage underwriting standards too tough?

Yes, they don’t reflect current market conditions and need to be adjusted to allow borrowers with below 700 FICO scores and smaller downpayments to qualify for mortgages.
Yes, and something needs to be done to significantly reduce repurchase or buyback risk so that lenders don’t apply even tougher underwriting overlays.
No, the standards are appropriate given current risks and the major default problems the mortgage market has experienced over the past several years.

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