Production of loans with a Department of Veterans Affairs guaranty increased 44 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to the same period a year ago, thanks to strong refinance activity during the holidays, according to an agency spokesman. John Bell, assistant director for loan policy and valuation with the VA Home Loan Guaranty Service, said VA streamline refinance activity rose 18 percent year over year as more veterans took advantage of lower interest rates and lower downpayment in the fourth quarter. He said the VA is still in the process of collating data, declining to give further details. Nonetheless, VA production in the fourth quarter was fueled...

While mortgage performance continues to improve, servicers have put an increased emphasis on completing foreclosures in recent months, according to industry analysts. Foreclosure starts and bank repossessions have increased after more than a year of monthly declines, according to RealtyTrac. “Foreclosure ‘spring cleaning’ got off to a quick start in January,” said Daren Blomquist, a vice president at RealtyTrac. Servicers typically observe...

A letter addressed to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding a “definitional error” in the drafting of the qualified mortgage provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act that was supposedly penned by Sen. Tim Johnson, D-SD, has turned out to be a fake. According to an email from Drey Samuelson, who served as the former senator’s chief of staff until his recent retirement, “the letter in question was not authorized nor sent by Sen. Johnson, and he has communicated that fact to director [Richard] Cordray.” A CFPB staffer confirmed...

In another example of tag-team enforcement, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last week moved against three small, nonbank mortgage companies over their allegedly deceptive advertising practices that implied some status as an agents of the U.S. government, or that they had the approval or endorsement of the government. The crackdown stemmed from a joint sweep with the Federal Trade Commission of about 800 randomly selected ads across the U.S., and as a result of consumer complaints filed with both agencies. In one of the cases, the CFPB filed...

Warehouse commitments written by commercial banks reached approximately $33 billion at yearend, according to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance – one of the healthiest readings in several quarters and a sign that all is well in the originations market. The only thing bothering most warehouse managers is how long the good times can last. “There is...[Includes one data chart]

Fannie Mae has explored NPL auctions, but has yet to pull the trigger.

Manna from heaven? Roughly 87 percent of LOs expect residential production to exceed 2014’s volume…

Issued in November of last year, the requirement was slated to apply to all HECM mortgages with case numbers issued on or after March 2, 2015.

After Freddie Mac makes its next dividend payment in March to the U.S. Treasury, the GSE will have returned $91.8 billion to the government versus financial assistance draws of $72.3 billion.

Freddie reported a $2.7 billion net worth at Dec. 31 and will pay Treasury a $900 million dividend based on fourth quarter results.