HUD-IG Issues Industry Warning Against HECM Refi Scam. The inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued an alert to warn lenders, originators and sponsors about fraudulent appraisals that are being used to inflate reverse loan amounts in order to qualify borrowers for HECM financing. Auditors have reviewed HECM refinances over the last several years and have found indications of fraud in hundreds of HECM loans, the IG said. Specifically, appraised values were inflated by 60 to 100 percent or more above the collateral’s actual market value. FHA Announces Lender Recertification Webinar. The FHA will present an online webinar that will assist FHA lenders with the upcoming lender recertification process. Scheduled for Dec. 15, 2015, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., EST, the webinar will provide details and tips on how FHA lenders can submit an ...

Slip, sliding away: commercial banks and loans-serviced-for others...

Two investment banking firms – Interactive Mortgage Advisors and MountainView Servicing Group – have at least $17 billion (combined) in mortgage servicing rights auctions in the works, a sign that the sector is heating up as the year draws to a close. Several other advisory firms have announced deals in the past few weeks, including The Prestwick Group and Mortgage Industry Advisory Corp. Also, sources contend that investment banker Houlihan Lokey is busy as well, though company officials there declined to comment for this story. Mark Garland, president of MountainView, said...

Mortgage trade groups submitted a strongly worded brief last week calling for an order by the Federal Communications Commission to be overturned. In June, the FCC issued an omnibus declaratory ruling and order involving the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The order placed restrictions on auto-dialed calls to cell phones. Violators of the TCPA can be subject to fines of $500 per phone call. A challenge to the FCC’s order led by ACA International is set...

Look for new FHLB membership rules from the FHFA by February 2016...

PE firms and hedge funds are showing a strong interest in the emerging class of subprime residential lenders...

The average loan-to-value ratio of the NPLs is 91 percent, based on the broker price opinion.

Time to rejoice: purchase-lending could regularly top $1 trillion a year...

On the $5.9 billion MSR pool, 42 percent of the rights are tied to mortgages in California, Florida and Texas...

Fleig said Fannie’s new policy has prompted some questions as industry participants haven’t seen a draft of the subordination agreement seller/servicers will have to sign.