Consumer complaints about debt collectors appear to be improving somewhat, according to the latest analysis by Inside the CFPB of data submitted to the bureau. Gripes were down 9.4 percent during the third quarter, but off a barely perceptible 0.3 percent at the nine-month mark versus a year ago. Many of the top 50 companies ranked by number of complaints saw drops of double digits during the period ending Sept. 30, 2015, whereas a handful of companies saw consumer grumbling rise by triple digits year over year. In some instances, however, both dynamics occurred at the same company, the data show.Complaints about collection attempts were the leading consumer criticism, followed by disclosure verification and communication tactics. Supervisory Illustrations On...

The CFPB continues to see a host of noncompliance issues with mortgage lenders – but some notable improvement on the servicing side of the industry too. According to the CFPB’s latest supervisory highlights report, the bureau cited a range of problems lenders are having originating mortgages. For instance, regulators saw evidence of failing to fully comply with the requirement that charges at settlement not exceed amounts on the good faith estimate by more than specified tolerances. Some lenders also are failing to fully comply with requirements for completion of HUD-1 settlement statements, to provide homeownership counseling disclosures, or to provide accurate loan servicing disclosure statements. Other lenders are not complying with consumer financial information privacy requirements, the report indicated. In other ...

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency informed lenders recently it will soon start examining banks for their compliance with the Truth in Lending Act and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act Integrated Disclosure rule, and issued some updated guidance to help institutions get ready. In OCC Bulletin 2015-42, the agency said during initial examinations for compliance with the rule, OCC examiners will be evaluating a bank’s compliance management system and overall efforts to come into compliance, “recognizing the scope and scale of changes necessary for each bank to achieve effective compliance.”Further, the OCC said, “Examiners expect banks to make good faith efforts to comply with the rule’s requirements in a timely manner. Specifically, examiners are considering the bank’s ...

With the mortgage lending industry’s use of marketing services agreements under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act likely hanging in the balance, the CFPB detailed its anti-kickback legal arguments against PHH Corp. and its mortgage units in its “reply” brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, filed earlier this month. In PHH Corp., et al., v. CFPB, the first main argument the bureau made is that PHH violated RESPA Section 8(a) because it entered into agreements with mortgage insurers so that whenever an insurer received a referral from PHH, the insurer paid PHH a kickback in the form of premiums for mortgage reinsurance. “PHH thus committed a separate violation every time it accepted a kickback ...

So, will the FHA cut the MIP? Absolutely not, at least not at this time.

Some believe the FHA MMIF minimum capital standard should be 4.5 percent, not 2.0 percent.

It's the first time since 2008 that the MMIF has had a capital ratio north of the congressionally mandated 2 percent minimum.

The number of young vets has risen while the 35- to 64-year-old bucket has shrunk...

A nationwide roll out of the small-balance product starts next year.

Impac’s initial foray into non-QM production was sourced mostly through the wholesale channel.