The new refinance program being developed for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac borrowers with high loan-to-value ratios will not be available for homeowners who have already used the Home Affordable Refinance Program, according to the regulator of the two government-sponsored enterprises. The Federal Housing Finance Agency this year directed Fannie and Freddie to develop a replacement program for HARP, which will sunset at the end of 2016. MBS investors have been concerned...[Includes one data table]

Due diligence firms led an effort to issue a draft proposal late last week that would establish a standardized approach for reviewing compliance with the TRID mortgage-disclosure rule. The effort organized by the Structured Finance Industry Group was met with praise by industry participants. “The draft proposal represents a significant step forward for developing an industry standard treatment of errors related to the new residential mortgage disclosure requirements,” Fitch Ratings said. TRID is industry shorthand for a new integrated disclosure rule that covers requirements under the Truth in Lending Act and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. Third-party due diligence providers have identified...

Errors in TRID disclosures on jumbo mortgages played a key role in the recent closure of W.J. Bradley Mortgage, but the privately held nonbank may have had other problems as well, according to industry officials who claim to have intimate knowledge of the company’s operations. A thin capital base is one of those problems. An investor in the company and an investment banking official each told...

The impact of the TRID integrated-disclosure rule that took effect on Oct. 3 seems to have had little impact on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. For now, the government-sponsored enterprises are focused on whether sellers are using the correct forms, not whether there are mistakes. The GSEs have amended their contractual obligations with their customers to let them know that the customer is responsible for any potential or actual loss as a result of TRID violations. “So they’re basically turning what was a repurchase obligation into an indemnification obligation,” said...

“Mortgage g-fees should only be used as a buffer against mortgage defaults, not as a piggy-bank for increased government spending,” said NAR chief Salomone.

If stocks tank, look for yet another bond market rally.

SWBC is looking to hire 40-plus technology workers.

Employment and pay prospects are looking up for loan brokers as well.

An estimated $1.21 trillion of newly-originated home loans were pooled in mortgage securities last year.

The House Financial Services Committee recently voted to advance legislation that would provide a private flood insurance alternative to the federal National Flood Insurance Program for homeowners required to purchase flood insurance. H.R. 2901, the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act, passed by a unanimous vote of 53-0 and was sent to the House floor for consideration. A Senate counterpart bill, S. 1679, which was reintroduced by Sen. Dean Heller, R-NV, last year, is awaiting action in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Both bills were introduced...