The CFPB filed a civil suit last week against Castle & Cooke Mortgage and two top executives, accusing the Utah-based nonbank of illegally giving bonuses to loan officers who steered consumers into mortgages with higher interest rates. Overall, the firm paid 500 quarterly bonuses roughly $4 million in compensation to its retail loan officers, based on a compensation structure that rewarded them for bringing in mortgages at higher note rates, the government charges.In its suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District...
Two industry groups have jointly written the CFPB requesting the bureau reconsider a final rule that requires lenders to disclose and deliver appraisals to consumers for both residential loans and commercial loans. The American Bankers Association and the Mortgage Bankers Association said the rule is going to create challenges for lenders when a dwelling is securing business credit, asserting it would place large burdens on lenders, as they may have to deliver thousands of appraisals to non-consumers in commercial settings...
New Penn Financial is one of the few lenders putting an emphasis on mortgages for borrowers that are foreign nationals. The company offers mortgages to non-U.S. citizens with rates and terms somewhat looser than those offered by other lenders operating in the niche market. Our proprietary program offers flexibility and fewer restrictions, New Penn said. While data on mortgages to foreign national borrowers are scarce, the loans largely appear to be a non-agency product, both held in portfolio and sometimes securitized ...
Several provisions in FHA solvency legislation are emerging as potential hot-button issues for lenders, according to legal experts. There is growing industry concern over indemnification provisions, which appear to be more stringent in the Senates FHA Solvency Act of 2013 than in H.R. 2767, Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners Act (PATH Act), which the House Financial Services Committee passed this week. Under Title II (FHA reform) of the PATH Act, a lender may be required to indemnify the FHA if the agency determines that ...
The House Financial Services Committee this week reported out a legislative package of housing finance system reforms, including measures designed to reduce FHAs role in the mortgage marketplace, strengthen lender oversight and avoid a potential taxpayer bailout. The bill, Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners Act (H.R. 2767), passed by a vote of 30 to 27 despite mixed responses from industry experts, academics, financial trade associations and consumer advocates. Critics called for changes. Offered by Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-TX, chairman of the Financial Services Committee, the bill proposes ...
FHA officials, industry groups and consumer advocates appear to be leaning more towards a Senate FHA reform bill that is moderate and far less ambitious than legislation approved by the House Financial Services Committee this week. Introduced by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson, D-SD, and Ranking Minority Member Mike Crapo, R-ID, the FHA Solvency Act of 2013 focuses on the right issues, not like the House bill, which tries to dramatically alter the program and affect borrower eligibility, said an industry observer. Testifying as the sole witness at a Senate Banking Committee hearing on FHA solvency this week, FHA Commissioner Carol Galante said ...
When it comes to guaranty fees, FHFA has taken "meaningful steps" to level the playing field for community lenders, one agency official testified this week.