Senate Democrats opposing the administration’s proposed cuts to HUD’s FY 2018 spending bill have reportedly placed a hold on Pantenaude’s nomination...
The Home Affordable Refinance Program was arguably one of the most successful initiatives aimed at delivering consumer relief in the wake of the housing meltdown. It’s proving hard to kill. The Federal Housing Finance Agency this week extended HARP for another year, until the end of 2018. It was slated to sunset at the end of this year. The program has been extended several times since it was authorized back in 2009. The extra year is...
Simplifying and aligning the default servicing policies of the conventional conforming and the government-backed mortgage markets would better serve the mortgage industry and homeowners, according to industry experts. In a recent discussion on how regulatory burden and high servicing costs might impede lending, members of the Mortgage Servicing Collaborative agreed on the need for streamlined and harmonized federal, state and agency policies and rules on servicing. Increased regulatory requirements have caused mortgage-servicing costs to skyrocket in recent years, experts said. Even though the quality of servicing has improved, the new regulations are complex and costly, they noted. Multiple pressures placed upon servicers have suppressed mortgage lending, making it harder for borrowers with tainted credit to obtain a mortgage, according to the ...