Lenders have loosened downpayment requirements on conforming purchase-mortgages as part of a shift that typically occurs when the purchase market rebounds. The move toward higher loan-to-value ratios on purchase mortgages has been gradual, but industry analysts suggest it’s part of an effort by lenders to increase volume. “As lenders need more mortgage volume, average downpayments start to drop,” said Doug Lebda, CEO of LendingTree. “More lenders are beginning to loosen their guidelines and are going after a slightly broader pool of potential borrowers.” According to the Inside Mortgage Finance MBS Database, the original LTV ratio for newly originated purchase mortgages included in mortgage-backed securities issued by the government-sponsored enterprises has...

Despite having more than 21 months to admire its new integrated disclosure rule before it went into effect, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this week found an “administrative error” that would require a two-week delay for the scheduled Aug. 1 launch date. The agency decided to add another six weeks to the delay, making the new effective date Oct. 1, 2015. The CFPB said the additional time is to “accommodate the interests of many consumers and providers whose families will be busy with the transition to the new school year.” What about getting ready...

Lew said it’s not the right time to talk about ending the GSEs’ conservatorship and paying dividends.

Industry observers noted that FAQs didn’t answer some of the big questions that matter to lenders, such as quality control, student debt and pre-funding review requirements.

An estimated $95.9 billion of mortgages bigger than the traditional agency loan limit were produced during the first quarter of 2015, a new Inside Mortgage Finance analysis reveals. Jumbo production – all single-unit mortgages with loan amounts exceeding $417,000 – was up 7.9 percent from the fourth quarter. That was slightly off the pace set in overall mortgage originations, which rose 12.9 percent from the previous quarter. Conforming-jumbo production was...[Includes three data tables]

The face-saving mechanism in the CFPB's announcement was a claim to the discovery of a legal glitch.

VantageScore suggested that lending to "upsiders" and "minimalists" can be accomplished without increasing default risk.

The FOMC said it will increase rates when it sees further improvement in the labor market and inflation looks to be under control.

Higher interest rates prompted declines in applications for both refinances and purchase mortgages.

The revised consent orders include limitations on the acquisition of mortgage servicing rights outside of the banks' own originations and limitations on outsourcing servicing functions.