Chase continues to grow the volume of residential whole loans kept on its balance sheet: $197.3 billion at yearend compared to $181.2 billion at the end of 2016.
Thanks to the new bill signed by President Trump, Wells enjoyed a $3.35 billion after tax benefit. However, the company also recorded a $3.25 billion pre-tax expense tied to “litigation accruals for a variety of matters, including mortgage-related regulatory investigations..."
Issues related to servicing are often overlooked when it comes to discussions on housing-finance reform, according to an Urban Institute paper published this week.
Ginnie Mae and the Department of Veterans Affairs have announced additional measures to curb serial refinancing of VA loans. Testifying before a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee this week, officials from both agencies said the latest measures will complement guidelines Ginnie issued last year to deal with the loan-churning problem. Lenders urged Congress and the two agencies to be cautious in prescribing fixes that could potentially cut off VA funding. Jeffrey London, director of the VA Loan Guaranty Service, said a proposed rule that includes a net tangible benefits test for veterans as well as seasoning and recoupment requirements will be issued soon. The VA is also planning to require upfront lender disclosure of the terms and benefits of a streamline or cash-out refi, including the recoupment period of the new transaction. Even though serial refinancing is not systemic to the VA portfolio, it has grown in ...
Ginnie Mae is redefining the term “defective mortgage” to remind issuers of their obligations when confronted by a mortgage that does not have federal insurance or guarantee. The action also clarifies options issuers may consider in dealing with defective mortgages. Under their guarantee agreement with Ginnie, issuers are required to cure, buy out or replace single-family mortgages or manufactured home loans that are missing the requisite FHA insurance or VA or U.S. Department of Agriculture guarantee within 120 days after the issue date of the mortgage-backed securities. Ginnie made clear that mortgages that do not have federal insurance or guarantee by the deadline for final certification of the related pool or loan package are defective. In addition, mortgages that have been rejected by FHA, VA or USDA, or for which federal insurance or guarantee have been withdrawn, are defective as ...
A federal district court in Florida has agreed to a government motion to intervene in a False Claims Act lawsuit against Bank of America in order to reach a settlement on behalf of a relator. Bruce Jacobs, a foreclosure attorney and relator in South Florida, filed the lawsuit. A former Miami prosecutor, he now represents homeowners in foreclosure proceedings initiated by financial institutions, including BofA. In his lawsuit, Jacobs alleged that BofA submitted false claims in violation of the FCA. Specifically, the bank allegedly submitted endorsements with unauthorized signatures and false mortgage assignments that would confer standing to foreclose. In addition, Jacobs additionally asserted a reverse FCA claim alleging that BofA made false statements when entering into the 2012 National Mortgage Settlement (NMS) consent judgment with the U.S. government. The landmark $25 billion settlement with ...
FHA Announces Revised Method for Calculating Initial MIP for HECM Refis. FHA has modified the formula for calculating the initial mortgage insurance premium for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage refinances with case numbers assigned on or after Sept. 19, 2017. The formula was modified on Nov. 14, 2017. The change conforms to the final rule FHA implemented last year to strengthen the HECM program. The revised formula has been posted on FHA’s HECM page on hud.gov, FHA Connection Release Notes, dated Dec. 28, 2017. The FHAC Release Notes outline the changes and processing instructions for lenders to calculate the initial MIP for HECM refis. HUD Releases Guide to Help Borrowers and Disaster Victims Avoid Foreclosure. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has released the Homeowners Guide to Success to help struggling homeowners and ...
Mortgage servicing is mistakenly overlooked when it comes to housing-finance reform discus-sions and research on the business is sparse, according to an Urban Institute paper released this week.
CFPB Acting Director Mick Mulvaney has less than 200 calendar days left to occupy the director’s chair, so industry officials have been wondering what they can expect from the bureau as long as he’s in charge.