A proposal last week from federal regulators to reduce capital requirements on mortgage servicing rights for all but the largest banks was met with mostly praise from banks. “The proposal to review and refine capital rules for community banks is a step in the right direction that acknowledges what our members already know,” said Rob Nichols, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association. “Some of the current capital requirements are keeping banks from fully serving their ...

Mortgage originations for black and Hispanic borrowers rose significantly faster in 2016 than among whites, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance analysis of recently-released Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. The HMDA report reveals that a total of $1.956 trillion of home loans were originated last year, an 18.5 percent increase over the 2015 total. Most observers believe that HMDA undercounts total mortgage originations by about 5 percent ... [Includes one data chart]

The Congressional Budget Office recently issued a white paper analyzing options to reduce taxpayer exposure to FHA risk while allowing the program to continue providing affordable credit to first-time homebuyers and low-income borrowers. Although FHA continues to write high-quality, newer books of business, the CBO sees more mortgage borrowers with good credit scores, large downpayments or low debt-to-income ratios shifting to the private mortgage market ...

Ocwen Financial has now buried the hatchet with a total of 15 states over alleged deficiencies in its compliance with laws and regulations relating to the company’s servicing and lending activities. Back in April, mortgage and banking regulators from 30 states and the District of Columbia and the state attorneys general of Florida and Massachusetts brought regulatory action against the nonbank servicer. This week, Ocwen settled with New Mexico, Virginia and West Virginia ...

“Those on the left side of the political spectrum are more likely to know what the CFPB is and have a positive opinion of it,” said Cato’s Emily Ekins.

First Republic Bank originated $1.90 billion of IOs in the second quarter of 2017, ranking first nationwide.

Ocwen suggests that other mortgage firms are being investigated by the SEC for their use of collection agents...

NAHB's Jerry Howard said a doubling of standard deductions – if it becomes law – could prove to be a powerful financial tool for home buyers.

A handful of GSE watchers we spoke to believe that in time Watt will work out a compromise with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on zero capital...

Kroll Bond Rating Agency projects that about $11.0 billion of prime non-agency MBS will be issued this year…