Rising home prices and interest-rate trends continue to decrease purchase-mortgage affordability for potential homebuyers. However, industry analysts note that mortgage affordability is still historically high and could soon improve. The 20-city S&P/Case-Shiller home price index increased by 1.8 percent in July compared with the previous month, according to the latest data released this week. On a year-over-year basis, the index was up by 12.4 percent. The home-price gains indicate a ...

With roughly three months left before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rules on loan-originator compensation and ability-to-repay standards kick in, mortgage originators are scrambling to find the best way to survive and thrive under the new regime. In recent weeks, some in the mortgage broker community have suggested that operating as a mini-correspondent could help brokers bypass points-and-fees complications with the qualified mortgage definition under the ATR rule ...

Borrowers or loan officers misreporting income on loan applications at the height of the housing boom may have pushed up the default rate of high-income borrowers, according to a new Federal Reserve analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Data that was matched with non-HMDA credit data. Researchers Neil Bhutta and Glenn Canner of the Fed’s Division of Research and Statistics found that many borrowers classified as high-income may actually have had lower incomes than what they stated on applications, and ...

FHA admits it will need a bailout, well sort of.

If you're looking for another factor in the red hot MSR market, consider this: housing receivables keep shrinking.

Not only is Citigroup selling $61 billion in legacy MSRs, but the megabank is trying to clear out its legacy buyback exposure.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will determine new risk ratios for the mortgage insurance industry, not the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Here's an odd turn of events: Freddie Mac might bail out Uncle Sam. Meanwhile, the mortgage insurance industry continues to mend.

David Akre of Five Oaks projects that in a few years, issuance of non-agency jumbo MBS could reach $300 billion annually.

Fannie Mae seller/servicers also can dodge the maintenance fee if they have $25 million in Fannie servicing or paid $5,000 in technology fees.