What does the seller of the MSRs think about what's going on with the DFS? A spokesman for the nation's largest lender and servicer told IMFnews: "Wells Fargo has not been a party to any discussions with the New York Department of Financial Services regarding Ocwen."
Nonbank servicers are receiving increased attention from state regulators, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and members of Congress. Ocwen Financial is at the center of the storm as its planned acquisition of mortgage servicing rights from Wells Fargo on loans with an unpaid principal balance of $39.2 billion is on "indefinite hold" due to a request from New York's Department of Financial Services. Ben Lawsky, superintendent of the NYDFS, has focused on ...
Officials at Nationstar Mortgage, Ocwen Financial and Walter Investment Management all stressed this week that their servicing efforts align with what regulators want as well as with the interests of investors in non-agency mortgage-backed securities. The servicers also suggest that while new scrutiny on their practices could extend the amount of time it takes to complete servicing transfers, there is still plenty of business to be done. William Erbey, Ocwen's chairman, said he agreed with ...
Slowing refinance activity and higher mortgage insurance premiums took a toll on FHA loan production in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to Inside FHA Lending's analysis of FHA data. Overall FHA endorsements fell 24.3 percent from the third quarter as the year ended with $210.0 billion. This was down 9.6 percent from total FHA loans originated in 2012. The year-s top five FHA lenders -- Wells Fargo, Quicken Loans, JPMorgan Chase, Freedom Mortgage and Bank of America -- combined for21.9 percent, or $46.0 billion, of total originations, down ... [includes one chart]
Issuance of mortgage-backed securities with a Ginnie Mae guaranty fell in the fourth quarter, with most issuers showing significant decreases from the previous quarter. Ginnie Mae issuances saw a hefty 28.0 percent decline quarter over quarter, with the top five issuers -- Wells Fargo, Chase Home Finance, PennyMac, Freedom Mortgage and Quicken Loans -- recording substantial decreases during the period. There is speculation that slower FHA refinancing activity, FHA policy changes and the premium hike that took effect in June last year might have caused the decline in Ginnie Mae issuance. Ginnie Mae data showed monthly issuance peaking in June at $41.0 billion, progressively dropping over the next few months and finally settling at $22.3 billion at the end of December. Ginnie Mae MBS issuances totaled $393.2 billion in 2013, down 2.4 percent compared to 2012 business. The FHA share of issuances was ... [including one chart]
The Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York is investigating Bank of America's compliance with the requirements of the FHA's Lender Direct Endorsement program. BofA disclosed the investigation in its recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission but withheld details. Department of Justice investigations of FHA-related fraud are based typically upon an alleged violation of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) and/or the False Claims Act (FCA). Civil monetary penalties under FIRREA could go as high as $1.1 million per violation while treble damages are potentially available for FCA claims. Both laws have a 10-year statute of limitation. As a direct endorsement lender, BofA is authorized to originate, underwrite and certify loans for mortgage insurance without further reviews by the FHA or the Department of Housing and Urban Development. If the loan defaults, the holder of the loan may ...
Genworth Mortgage Insurance is helping customers understand the benefits of the new master policy private mortgage insurers have helped develop with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to improve the MIs' operating and servicing processes. Genworth expects the new master policy to take effect in July. Customers will receive a copy of the document as well as information explaining its benefits and operation before the effective date. A "Master Policy Introduction Reference Notes" and other resources may be found at Genworth's website, including a downloadable sample of the master policy, sample endorsements, a summary of changes and frequently asked questions. In December 2013, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced the government-sponsored enterprises' completion of the first major overhaul of the MI master policy requirements in many years. As part of their conservatorship, Fannie and Freddie were required to ...
House Weighs Bill to Restore Grandfathered Flood Insurance Rates. There is a possibility that the House of Representatives will vote next week on the amended version of H.R. 3370, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, as Republicans and Democrats continued to negotiate on proposed changes and further protection for homeowners who face hefty rate increases. H.R. 3370 builds on bipartisan legislation the Senate passed last month to delay flood insurance rate increases. Specifically, the substitute bill would make permanent the grandfathering of lower rates, which means catastrophic rate increases would no longer occur because of Federal Emergency Management Agency remapping. The Senate bill would only delay the changes for four years. In addition, the House bill would repeal the home sale/new policy triggers in the Biggert-Waters Act for all properties, including the ...
Walter Investment, the parent of Green Tree, said it anticipates meeting with the regulator in the near future to get a better understanding of its concerns and to see if the matter can be resolved.
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