FHA Releases Planned System Enhancements for SF Policy Handbook. The FHA is providing an overview of the FHA Connection (FHAC) system enhancements to help lenders get ready before the Single-Family Policy Handbook’s Sept. 14, 2015, effective date. The system enhancements primarily affect three screens in the FHAC case assignments, appraisal logging and insurance application. In the coming weeks, FHA plans to provide technical details for entities using direct interface with FHAC. FHA Announces Availability of Recorded Training Modules for SF Policy Handbook. FHA-approved mortgagees may now use new-recorded training modules to guide them through the ...

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is seeking comment on proposed changes to FHA’s loan certification document to make it less likely for direct-endorsement lenders to be sued for loan fraud over a technical glitch or an unintentional oversight. Language in Form 92900-A (HUD Addendum to Uniform Residential Loan Application), a loan-certification document signed by lenders, has been revised to reflect updated provisions in the new HUD Single Family Policy Handbook, a compendium of FHA policies and guidelines. The proposed changes would differentiate...

According to the offering circular, the receivables are geographically dispersed with Texas accounting for the largest share at 7.2 percent.

We understand that American Home Mortgage founder and chief executive Michael Strauss may be launching a new nonprime lender...

A big part of the MBS liquidity issue is caused by the Fed’s massive holdings, said Steve Abrahams, a managing director at Deutsche Bank.

Although Associated denies that any such lending discrimination took place, it agreed to commit almost $200 million in new loans to “targeted” areas...

Commercial banks and thrifts held $1.58 trillion of residential MBS at the end of March, a 2.6 percent increase from the previous quarter.

We understand that at least one other prominent FHA lender is contemplating filing a lawsuit against the government as well...

If purchase-lending doesn’t increase soon the mortgage industry could be in for some turbulence.

The conventional-conforming sector led the mortgage market’s surge in production volume during the first quarter of 2015, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance ranking and analysis. Lenders originated an estimated $207 billion of conventional-conforming mortgages during the first three months of this year, an 18.3 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2014. The conventional-conforming sector accounted for 57.5 percent of the $360 billion in overall mortgage originations during the period. The $360 billion is a revision of our initial estimate and does not include home-equity lending. The government and jumbo markets were...[Includes two data tables]