The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural housing program finances only modest homes for low- to moderate-income borrowers, not properties for millionaires as alleged in a news account published by Reuters, according to the program’s top executive. “USDA continues to operate its housing programs under the law and in accordance with the will of Congress,” said Tammye Trevino, administrator of the USDA Rural Housing Programs. Trevino disputed the Reuters report, which claimed that the USDA had guaranteed loans to “dozens of millionaires” by backing at least 500 loans of $500,000 or more, including more than ...
Ginnie Mae issuance fell in the first quarter of 2013 but was easily offset by significant gains from a year ago, according to Inside FHA Lending’s analysis of FHA data. Mortgage-backed securities production at the government facility dropped 5.1 percent to $104.1 billion in the first quarter but increased 28.6 percent year-over-year , which was more than enough for an offset. The securities were backed mostly by FHA and VA loans with a combined total of $99.33 billion. Federally guaranteed rural housing loans totaling $4.84 billion were also in the mix. Wells Fargo and Chase Home Finance led the Ginnie Mae market with a combined ... [1 chart]
Consumer complaints about mortgage foreclosure relief and debt management services providers were fewer in 2012 than in 2011, according to the Federal Trade Commission. In the FTC’s annual report listing the top consumer complaints for the past year, mortgage foreclosure relief and debt management dropped to #15 (33,791 complaints) in 2012 from #13 (38,140 complaints) in 2011. For the 13th year in a row, identity theft complaints topped the list, representing 18 percent of all consumer complaints. Complaints about real-estate fraud remained at #25, although fewer consumers complained about it last year (8,468) compared to ...
Despite its efforts to enhance its hiring outreach to minority and women potential contractors and employees during 2012, the Federal Housing Finance Agency still faces challenges finding qualified and diverse candidates.
Home prices nationwide jumped in February by the largest margin in seven years, said CoreLogic while the SEC has decided to allow public companies to Twitter and Facebook.
Fannie Mae ended 2012 with its single best quarterly and yearly profit in company history, prompting the government-sponsored enterprise to predict sustained profits “for the foreseeable future,” without taking into income any of the massive allowance it has built up related to deferred taxes. Fannie reported net income this week of $17.2 billion for 2012, compared to a net loss of $16.9 billion in 2011, with fourth quarter earnings of $7.6 billion. A year earlier, the GSE posted a $2.4 billion loss for the fourth quarter of 2011. “We had...
Most mortgage-related complaints borrowers filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau stemmed from problems they had making their payments, although servicers generally turned in surprisingly high and consistent response rates for timeliness and resolution, according to an analysis of the new data by Inside the CFPB, an affiliated newsletter. Among the 90,000 consumer complaints included in the vastly expanded public database, more than 50,000 – far and away the biggest share – had to do with mortgages. About 30 percent of the mortgage complaints were leveled...[Includes one data chart]
The Securities and Exchange Commission last week cleared the way for Genworth Financial to separate its struggling mortgage insurance operations and create a new holding company structure that would shield the parent from any fallout from problems of its MI operations. The SEC granted Genworth’s request for a no-action letter, which ensures that no enforcement action would be taken based on Genworth’s interpretation of rules and regulations regarding mergers and succession, new registrant, obligations and indentures. Genworth announced...
In the first major change to loan originator test requirements since tests required by the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act were implemented in 2009, 20 state regulators adopted new LO tests this week. Industry participants applauded the uniformity among states, which will allow mortgage loan originators to satisfy testing requirements for multiple states in one swoop. Effective April 1, 20 states implemented uniform state content for the SAFE MLO test, five more states will adopt the test July 1 and two state agencies in Texas will adopt the test Oct. 1. MLOs seeking a license in the states will no longer be required to take a second, state-specific test component, according to the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. “This is...
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