House Republicans are considering ways to relax certain state and local requirements to encourage the construction of more homes at a lower cost.

Faced with an average 14% increase in insurance premiums last year, homeowners are electing higher deductibles and switching providers to ease their financial burdens, while others are weighing moving.

A bill recently introduced in Congress seeks to cap the number of delinquent loans the Department of Veteran Affairs can purchase through the VA Servicing Purchase program annually at 250. Mortgage industry participants strongly oppose the bill.

The Mortgage Bankers Association defended servicers from criticism for the financial incentives they receive from FHA home-retention programs, arguing that the work involved outweighed the compensation.

The bill would cap purchases under the VASP program to 250 loans annually.