Total mortgage delinquencies dropped to an 11-year low of 3.62 percent in March, thanks to improving economic metrics, according to Black Knight Financial Services’ first look at March 2017 mortgage data. In particular, overall delinquencies fell 14.1 percent month-over-month, the lowest they have reached since March 2006 and the fourth lowest point since the turn of the century. On a year-over-year basis, total delinquencies declined 11.4 percent. Total non-current inventory, comprised of all loans 30 days or more past due or in active foreclosure, fell below 2.3 million loans, the lowest volume in 11 years, Black Knight analysts found. Observers attributed...

Ocwen’s counsel includes Goodwin Procter LLP, which also is representing PHH Corp. in its legal battle against the agency…

Is the White House pondering HUD-related nominations?

Flagstar sold $8.0 billion of residential servicing rights during the first quarter compared to $6.7 billion in the fourth quarter.

Nonbank mortgage firms increased their servicing portfolios by 3.0 percent during 1Q17, more than double the 1.3 percent increase in total Fannie/Freddie servicing during that period.

Fitch notes that New Residential Investment Corp., a publicly traded REIT, owns $118.7 billion in servicing rights that are being subserviced by Ocwen.

The company adds: “Under these circumstances, Ocwen has a responsibility to its customers, shareholders, and employees to vigorously defend the company.”

The CFPB last week filed a massive civil damage case against top-ranked mortgage servicer Ocwen Financial, accusing the nonbank and its subsidiaries, Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC, and Ocwen Mortgage Servicing, Inc., of “failing borrowers at every stage of the mortgage servicing process.” The agency alleges that Ocwen’s “years of widespread errors, shortcuts and runarounds cost some borrowers money and others their homes.” Ocwen allegedly botched basic functions like sending accurate monthly statements, properly crediting payments, and handling taxes and insurance. The agency added that Ocwen also illegally foreclosed on struggling borrowers, ignored customer complaints, and sold off the servicing rights to loans without fully disclosing the mistakes it made in borrowers’ records. Among the CFPB’s major allegations was that the ...

The CFPB was not alone in its crackdown last week on Ocwen Financial over its alleged mortgage servicing failures and violations. The same day the bureau announced its action, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner Drew Breakspear filed a federal civil consumer protection lawsuit against Ocwen and subsidiaries, Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC, and Ocwen Mortgage Servicing, Inc., for what they called “mortgage servicing misconduct.” According to the complaint, Ocwen harmed citizens of the Sunshine State by filing illegal foreclosures, mishandling loan modifications, misapplying mortgage payments, failing to pay insurance premiums from escrow and collecting excessive fees. Ocwen services roughly 125,000 home mortgages in the state. The complaint, filed in federal court in West Palm Beach, ...

Ocwen Financial, stung by legal actions brought simultaneously last week by the CFPB and scores of state regulators, responded by issuing a detailed statement disputing the allegations made by state regulators and defending its business practices. “As with the recent CFPB enforcement action, Ocwen strongly disputes the key allegations made in the state regulators’ cease-and-desist orders that Ocwen’s mortgage loan servicing practices have caused substantial consumer harm,” the company said. “Ocwen will not sign unfair and unjust consent orders that make impractical demands that no other market participant could rationally accept, and which would harm consumers,” it added. “Under these circumstances, Ocwen has a responsibility to its customers, shareholders and employees to vigorously defend the company against unfounded claims while ...