TRID is a real obstacle to mortgage process

Despite reports saying that TRID hasn’t caused any major lending delays, the key word in all the reports is 'yet.'

Buy this super-green California home, get a free Tesla

Over the years, we’ve seen some creative efforts when it comes to trying to sell a home. About this time last year, the owner of a 16,000-square-foot mansion in Dallas offered up a free 2015 Bentley to the real estate agent or Realtor who secured a buyer for their home – in addition to their normal commission. But a new listing in California takes the automobile sweetener to a higher, and greener, level.

Kal Raman resigns as CEO of Nationstar's Xome

In the last year, Nationstar Mortgage has transformed Solutionstar, one of the company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, into Xome, which boasted that it offered consumers a one-stop shop for the entire real estate experience. Nationstar tasked Kal Raman with shepherding that transition, adding Raman as CEO of Solutionstar in Nov. 2014. But now, just over one year after he took over Solutionstar, Raman is resigning.

HUD watchdog issues warning on fraudulent, inflated reverse mortgage appraisals

In the run-up to the financial crisis, fraudulent appraisal schemes ran rampant in the housing industry, eventually leading to the complete overhaul of the property appraisal system and the rise of appraisal management companies. As it turns out, schemes like that have not been completely forced out of the industry.

Fed adopts new rule limiting 'too big to fail' bailouts

Amid pressure from Congress to rein in its power to prop up a troubled financial institution, the Federal Reserve did just that Monday, adopting a new rule that will limit its ability to bail out failing financial institutions.

Inventory shortages restrict growth in pending home sales

Pending home sales barely moved in October as the housing market starts to flatline in the fall. A main cause and concern behind the drop: inventory shortages.

Here's how Chinese homebuyers are reshaping U.S. housing

Chinese money is becoming a major force in real estate around the world and in America. A new luxury development 35 miles northwest of Dallas is only the latest frontier for Chinese buyers.

To acquire or not to acquire?

Stories of firms beating their own 2015 projections are widespread, which means the gaze for 2016 is shifting to future growth. It’s possible you are considering the on-boarding of new branches as a way to keep filling your origination coffers. It only takes one branch manager or regional manager changing employers to influence the migration of entire origination teams and change a firm’s future outlook.

Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: 10 commandments for mortgage loan officers

As the Thanksgiving holiday wraps up and the housing industry gears up for the end of the year, these two loan officers from Solano Mortgage published a hysterical piece on the Ten Commandments of applying for a home mortgage. Meanwhile, are you looking at the big picture when you choose to renovate your home? If not, it could cost you.

[Charts] Here are the home price breakdowns in the 10 largest states

As a whole, home prices barely increased, growing 0.1% in September. However, going a little deeper, these charts show what is going on in the 10 largest states.

October truck tonnage levels remain in familiar territory

Seasonally-adjusted (SA) for-hire truck tonnage in October at 135.7 (2000=100) was up 1.9 percent compared to September’s 133.1, and the ATA’s not seasonally-adjusted (NSA) index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by fleets before any seasonal adjustment was 139.8 in October, which was 0.9 percent ahead of September.

The missing question in Yellen’s Congress discussion

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen achieved the primary goal of any new Fed chief and avoided any obvious land mines. But what was lacking in the dialogue, both from Yellen and the media, was a serious discussion of what’s next for national economic policy.

It's official: Obama signs bill limiting Fannie, Freddie CEO pay

In what has become a complete and total rebuke of an effort put forth by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt to award $3 million raises to the CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, President Obama signed into a law a bill that caps the salaries of Fannie Mae CEO Timothy Mayopoulos and Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton. Click headline to read more.

Feds announce 2016 threshold for smaller, 'higher-priced’ loan appraisal exemption

The Federal Reserve Board, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced the annual adjustment of the dollar amount used to determine whether a small loan is exempt from the special appraisal requirements that apply to higher-priced mortgage loans.

[Infographic] What do Millennials look for in real estate agents, housing?

There are a plethora of reports and studies out there all defining what the Millennial generation looks like. This latest infographic from UpNest puts a lot of that information into one creative graphic.

Consumers make saving a main priority

The latest report from the Commerce Department said that consumer spending is barely increasing since households are taking advantage of rising incomes to boost savings to their highest level in nearly three years.

Freddie Mac: Mortgage rates drift lower

Mortgage rates reported little change for the week, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate staying just barely below 4%. Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sean Becketti noted that it’s a quiet week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.

MBA: Mortgage applications drop 3.2%

After the jump in mortgage applications last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest survey found that applications changed direction and dropped 3.2%.

New home sales beat expectations

While sales of new single-family houses in October beat expectations, it still remains volatile month-to-month. As one economist puts it, going forward, housing is likely to continue to be a positive contribution to headline activity although limited.

FHFA announces 2016 conforming loan limits

The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced the maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages to be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2016. Despite some predictions that the loan limits would rise for 2016, the FHFA said the conforming loan limits will remain unchanged for much of the country, but not everywhere.

Supply Chain Evolution: Technology’s Role in the New Digital Supply Network

This year, it's all about the digital supply network. In this virtual conference, we will define the challenges currently facing supply chain organizations and offer solutions designed to transform linear operations into dynamic, automated networks that offer seamless communication, visibility, and the ability to respond and optimize processes at any given time.

Fannie Mae joins e-document revolution

Fannie Mae joins the electronic document revolution. The government-sponsored enterprise announced that it is partnering with DocuSign to provide an "easy, fast, and secure way" to execute agreements with Fannie Mae by allowing electronic signatures on several of its documents.

Recruiters in multi-million dollar mortgage fraud sent to prison

A Virginia man and woman will each spend two years in prison for leading a scheme that recruited straw buyers into a multi-year, multi-property mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded 10 different lenders of millions of dollars.

Move, Realtor.com name Suhail Ansari chief technology officer

Move, Inc., which operates Realtor.com for the National Association of Realtors, announced the appointment of Suhail Ansari as the company’s new chief technology officer. At Move, Ansari will be responsible for overseeing the company’s technology strategy.

Freddie Mac offering second actual loss high-LTV risk-sharing deal

After offering its first risk-sharing deal that featured the actual loss position on loans with loan-to-value ratios ranging from 80% to 95% earlier this year, Freddie Mac is bringing another high LTV risk-sharing deal to market.

Google launches mortgage comparison tool with Zillow

Well, it’s official. Google has come to mortgages. After first being reported earlier this year, Google is launching its own mortgage comparison tool via its Compare service. Here's more about Google's big mortgage move with Zillow and LendingTree.

How much will Thanksgiving impact your real estate business?

While it is not a shocker that the holidays, Thanksgiving included, cause a slow down in real estate, realtor.com decided to find out just how severe the impact is on business.

Is your company leading the technology revolution? Prove it

The technological revolution is happening, right now. Here at HousingWire, we see that innovation happening and feel it deserves some serious kudos. The shouting it from the rooftops kind, to be exact. It’s in that spirit that HousingWire honors the most innovative innovators who’ve innovated in the most innovative ways in the last year.

Here are 4 reasons to stay invested in US housing

While the stock market has been volatile the past few months, the housing market hasn’t. In a sponsored content piece in Quartz, PIMCO outlined four reasons why there are still plenty of opportunities left in housing.

Despite decrease, existing-home sales maintain healthy pace

Although total existing-home sales decreased 3.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.36 million in October, Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a sales cooldown in October was likely given the pullback in contract signings the last couple of months.

Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: Rate-hike implications and a warning from Yellen

Visions of turkey and stuffing are dancing in our heads, but there will still be plenty of housing news this week, including October existing and new home sales data. And what's with this Orange County house with 19 bathrooms?

Black Knight: Delinquency rate reverses course after recent increases

The “first look” October 2015 report from Black Knight Financial Services finally posted different results after two months of consecutive increases in the delinquency rate. This month the total delinquency rate declined by nearly 2% from September and nearly 12% from last year.

These 6 steps can help build your credit for your first home

It’s never too early to start preparing for buying your first-home, especially if you’re trying to build your credit score. This list from Freddie Mac gives six easy steps to build credit in time for your first home.

TRID hasn't caused any major lending delays…so far

Unlike some predictions, the mortgage industry did not implode once TRID went into effect. And according to results from the latest Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey, the impacts so far are minor.

World Shipping Council updates ocean carrier forecast

Christopher L. Koch., who just retired from a 15-year tenure as president and CEO of the World Shipping Council (WSC), and continues to serve as its senior advisor, is still telling shippers to stay the course.

International manhunt ends in arrest of field servicer on child prostitution charges

[Editor's note: The following story contains graphic details.] Mickey Snow, the owner and operator of a multi-state field services provider that until recently provided services to one of the government-sponsored enterprises, was arrested in Thailand after leading authorities on a worldwide chase to avoid prosecution on child prostitution charges.

Freddie Mac breaks record with largest credit risk deal with insurers

Freddie Mac announced late Friday that it obtained its largest insurance policy to date designed to cover much of the remaining credit risk associated with one of its Structured Agency Credit Risk transactions from earlier this year.

Agent Ace acquires fypio; rebrands as OpenHouse

Agent Ace, a data-driven real estate agent recommendation service, announced this week that it acquired fypio, a real estate company that provides homebuyers with a personalized, lifestyle-driven search experience. The two companies will rebrand and relaunch as OpenHouse.

Crapo fights against using Fannie, Freddie fees for Federal infrastructure costs

Despite being overwhelmingly defeated in the House of Representatives, the Senate is still considering a controversial spending mechanism that would see the fees charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to guarantee loans go to pay for new roads. But one Senator is urging his colleagues to consider the implications of using g-fees to offset the cost of a Federal highway bill.

Fannie Mae continues shifting credit risk to insurers

As part of its effort to reduce the taxpayers’ burden, Fannie Mae announced Friday that it completed its fifth and sixth credit risk-sharing transactions as part of its Credit Insurance Risk Transfer program. Through these latest deals, Fannie Mae said that it has acquired more than $800 million of insurance coverage on over $32 billion of loans this year.

[Infographic] 6 reasons behind the booming Dallas housing market

The Dallas housing market is no stranger to the top of housing market lists, commonly placing as one of the best, most affordable paces to call home. This chart shows six areas that are helping to drive that sustainability.

No news is good news in California’s housing market

While seasonal conditions are putting downward pressure on the sales of California single-family homes and condominiums, this isn’t bad news for the state, which has had a turbulent housing history.

The value of digital closings

Ultimately, a digital closing platform has the potential to save lenders up to $1,500 per loan in compliance, reconciliation and transaction completion costs.

loanDepot CEO explains IPO cancelation

loanDepot Chairman and CEO Anthony Hsieh published a company blog to explain his thoughts on pulling its IPO, saying, "Unlike other IPO candidates, we’re already moving forward with our plans because of our capital reserves and the investor confidence we’ve earned beyond the IPO market. And while an IPO continues to be an option, perhaps one day in the future, it’s not a necessity."

CoreLogic: Cash sales on track to return to pre-crisis level in 2017

Cash sales rose slightly in the month of August, but they are still on track to return to pre-crisis levels sometime in 2017, according to a new report from CoreLogic.

Feds set deadline to claim Independent Foreclosure Review relief funds

The clock is now ticking for borrowers eligible for payment under the Independent Foreclosure Review Payment Agreements who have not yet cashed or deposited their check. If they don’t act soon, their money is going to borrowers who already cashed their checks.

Prospect reaches settlement with MMC over affiliate C2C Appraisal Services

Prospect Mortgage reached an agreement with the Multi-State Mortgage Committee after an examination revealed a pattern of charging improperly disclosed and unsupported fees paid to the company’s affiliate. "This settlement allows the company the ability to continue operating while sending a strong message to the industry that this kind of behavior must be stopped," said Karyn Tierney, chair of the MMC.

NewDay Financial banned from all lending in New York

NewDay Financial, already punished this year by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for its business practices and by the Multi-State Mortgage Committee for widespread cheating on licensing exams, is now completely banned from lending in the state of New York due to that same cheating on licensing exams.

[Infographic] New York and California led nation in highest down payments

Planning on buying a home in New York or California? The two states surpass the nation in average down payment percentages for conventional 30-year fixed rate purchase mortgage. While it’s a steep down payment, the move could be the deciding factor in securing a home in today’s competitive market.

Goldman Sachs: Residential investment on pace for solid growth [Chart]

Goldman Sachs sent an email to clients advising that growth in residential investments through 2016 will be solid, though not as strong as they originally hoped. Plus, this growth will likely curtail in the years immediately following, as the included chart notes.

What FHA loans mean as large banks step away

With federal agencies taking action against several large lenders, many banks are pricing FHA loans to absorb the costs associated with the hundreds of layers of federal, state and local regulatory requirements. As a result, larger lenders are choosing to leave the FHA arena, presenting a great opportunity for smaller independent mortgage lenders.

[Chart] MBA: NJ, NY, Florida contain highest percent of foreclosures

The most recent Mortgage Bankers Association’s chart of the week shows that since the fourth quarter of 2012, New Jersey, New York, and Florida have had the highest percentage of loans in foreclosure in the nation.

Ocean carrier mega-alliances called into question

The Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) says better communication across the whole supply chain is vital to ensure shipper’s needs are not compromised by the container shipping industry’s drive to cut costs through mega-alliances.

Freddie Mac launches second risk-sharing cash securitization

Freddie Mac announced Thursday that it is bringing another credit risk-sharing cash securitization to market. Freddie Mac’s second Whole Loan Security is more than twice the size of the first such offering.

Are You Missing Out on Duty Savings Opportunities?

Companies are increasingly turning to Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) to reduce duties and lower costs. In fact, 57% of companies reported a decrease in import fees and experienced more optimal total landed costs per unit since using FTZs.

The industry is in dire need of appraisers

Sixty-two percent of appraisers are 51 and older, and as more retire over the next few years, it could mean longer waits, higher fees and even lower-quality appraisals. Will there be enough appraisers in the industry five years from now?

HUD settles with Mortgage One for requiring borrower to provide proof of disability

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday that it reached a settlement with a Michigan-based lender over discriminating against a borrower with disabilities. The man alleged that before closing on the loan, Mortgage One requested that he provide verification from his doctor that his disability was permanent.

ELD and Driver Coercion rules take steps forward in final rule making process

Two pending trucking sector regulations have received a fair amount of attention from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in recent days. One regulation relates to the final rule on Electronic Logging Devices (ELD), which OMB cleared today and the other is related to the driver coercion rule.

House passes bill to cap Fannie, Freddie CEO pay

The U.S. House of Representatives officially passed legislation to cap the salaries of the Fannie Mae CEO Timothy Mayopoulos and Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton on Monday night after being delayed two weeks by a busy Congressional calendar.

MBA’s Stevens: There’s no urgency to lower FHA insurance premiums

There is no urgency to lower mortgage insurance premiums right now, David Stevens, Mortgage Bankers Association president and CEO, said following the Federal Housing Administration’s 2015 Actuarial Report released on Monday. A look behind the numbers shows that it will take time to know the stability of the MMI Fund’s capital ratio of 2.07%.

FHA reaches capital mandate and here's what's next

The Federal Housing Administration surprised some observers Monday when it announced that its Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund grew significantly in fiscal 2015, reaching its Congressionally mandated threshold of 2% well ahead of the FHA’s own projections. But what's next for the FHA? Another premium cut? Changes to its programs? The industry weighs in.

Blackstone now rules America’s real estate

Blackstone is now nearly four times the size of when it originally filed its IPO in 2007. Most notably, an article in Business Insider said that the company has expanded its real estate division from a $17.7 billion business when the company went public to one that today manages nearly $100 billion worth of property.

House to vote Monday on limiting GSE CEO pay

After being delayed two weeks by a busy Congressional calendar, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Monday evening on a bill that would limit the compensation packages of Fannie Mae CEO Timothy Mayopoulos and Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton.

Coester VMS getting hate mail for American Girl feature

The CEO of Appraisal Management Company, Coester VMS, admits he wasn’t expecting such a backlash against his charity when American Girl featured this young lady. But backlash he got. And here’s why.

Executive Conversation: Collin Harbour on the changing role of service providers

Service providers are, now more than ever, extensions of mortgage servicers. Regulatory entities are reviewing servicing functions and, as these functions continue to be outsourced, the regulators are turning their attention to service providers.

Recap and Release: Not the right path to affordable mortgages

The fundamental problem with the recap and release approach is that starting any discussion about a future mortgage finance system with Fannie and Freddie is like looking through the wrong end of a telescope: the field of vision is very restricted and the details are hard to make out. Here's what the industry really needs to be asking about the GSEs.

FHA business explodes: Reaches capital mandate for first time since 2008

Flying directly in the face of speculation that the 50 basis point-cut of the Federal Housing Administration’s annual mortgage insurance premiums would negatively effect the health of the FHA’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, the FHA announced Monday that the MMI Fund actually grew significantly in fiscal 2015, reaching its Congressionally mandated threshold of 2% well ahead of schedule.

Carol Galante: While FHA Actuarial Report brings good news, 3 challenges still remain

While today’s news makes clear that FHA and its dedicated personnel have remained vigilant in safeguarding the FHA for future generations, the job of mopping up from this terrible housing crisis and recession is not done. The FHA has an obligation to the American people to do more. FHA, with the help of Congress, must urgently address three key challenges.

[Survey] Here’s proof digital mortgages are the future of lending

New survey results from J.D. Power prove that mortgage customer satisfaction is better thanks to heightened focus from lenders on developing functional digital channels and improving operation efficiency. Falling in line with where the industry is headed, the results confirmed that as the number of Millennial homebuyers continues to rise, lenders must be ready to meet their expectations.

Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: Real estate crowdfunding and FHA update

Need help getting a mortgage for a million-dollar property? Why not ask the parents? Sounds crazy (probably because this really is) but some lenders are willing to lend jumbo mortgages, as long as parents co-sign. Read more to get updated!

Nine Telltale Signs You Should Replace Your Current WMS

Does your current WMS hinder your ability to execute the business strategies needed to help you build a competitive advantage?

[Chart] MBA: Demand for VA loans continues to trend higher

In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s chart of the week shows the Veterans Administration’s share of all purchase loan applications during 2015.

Port of New Orleans posts record number in container throughput

The Port of New Orleans surpassed the half-million mark for twenty-foot- equivalent units (TEUs) handled in a 12-month period for the first time.

Sources: loanDepot withdraws Initial Public Offering

The delay comes as unfavorable market conditions have caused several IPOs to discount or delay their offerings amid the volatility that has plagued the market since August.

Texas notaries need to replace current seals

The Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law section of the State Bar of Texas is warning all notaries that they should replace their current seals with new ones issued by the Secretary of State to avoid possible complications with third parties.Previously, only new or renewing notaries were required to get new seals.

MCS names two new leaders

Mortgage Contracting Services, a provider of property preservation, inspections, REO property maintenance and valuations, announced two new leaders in the company. MCS named Tracy Hager as senior industry relations officer and Dave Sunlin as senior vice president.

90-year-old WWII vet returns to home after eviction

Hodges had been evicted this summer after falling behind on mortgage payments and owed more than $70,000. The GoFundMe account was started by someone who read about Hodges' plight in the Buffalo News and went viral after Yahoo! Real Estate shared the story.

Zillow: Yes, owning a home beats renting but there are still challenges

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of the biggest barriers to homeownership is a down payment. While there are plenty of misconceptions behind what goes into a down payment, it doesn’t change the fact that there are some real challenges in the process. New research from Zillow puts numbers behind the issue.

GOP debate: The problem with that Dodd Frank guy

That's the thing about regulation. Too much and you feel like the government is treading all over your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Too little and the bad guys end up running the place.

Amy Schumer lists her Upper West Side home for $2 million

Outside of the box office, it turns out comedian/actress Amy Schumer is definitely not a train wreck. The comedian just listed her Manhattan co-op for $2.075 million.

Do Millennials want to live in dorms? Really?

Is "coliving" a thing? According to an article in The Atlantic, the latest solution to Millennial housing needs goes back to college: dorm living. Though of course, it's being called something else.

MBA: Mortgage applications fall again, decrease 1.3%

Mortgage applications dropped 1.3% from one week earlier, according to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. Also, all mortgage rates reached new highs for the week.

Taking an Omni-channel Approach to Integrated Pest Management

The warehouse and distribution center (DC) can be a fertile breeding ground for and home to a wide variety of pests.

Gap between what homeowners and appraisers think is improving

For the second consecutive month, the spread has tightened between average home appraisals and what homeowners think their house will appraise for. Quicken Loans added that while it’s too early to call it a trend, it is encouraging to see the gap between the estimates homeowners provide and the appraised values starting to narrow.

Report says Canadian Pacific is looking into takeover of Norfolk Southern

Bloomberg reported that Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. is “exploring a takeover of U.S. carrier Norfolk Southern Corp. in a fresh attempt to consolidate the North American industry, according to people familiar with the matter.”

Freddie Mac to sell off $1.2 billion in non-performing loans

Freddie Mac announced Monday that it intends to sell off $1.2 billion in non-performing loans, marking its eighth sale of non-performing loans since the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced the new requirements for sales of NPLs by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to make sure the loans go to capable mortgage servicers.

Monday Morning Cup of Coffee: What’s the best low-down-payment mortgage?

It’s an interesting comparison; do you know how the programs differ? And even so, can you name the one section of the economic population that is being underserved by these very products?

USPS calling for uptick in holiday mail and package volumes

The United States Postal Service said yesterday that over the course of the holiday season it expects to deliver roughly 15.5 billion cards, letters, flats, and packages, adding that it expects to deliver around 600 million packages alone between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, which would represent a 10.5 percent annual increase.

Bank of America nearing halfway mark in $7 billion consumer relief effort

Bank of America is approaching the halfway point in delivering on its $7 billion promise of consumer relief required as part of its $16.65 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and others to resolve claims over toxic residential mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and an origination release on residential mortgage loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

House signs off on multi-year surface transportation authorization

The U.S. House of Representatives today widely approved a long-term transportation authorization, entitled The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform (STRR) Act of 2015, by a 363-64 margin.

Ex-Goldman banker barred from banking for leaking confidential Fed info

A former Goldman Sachs employee will never work in banking again, after pleading guilty to charges of stealing confidential information from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Ocean carriers getting real about controlling costs

If logistics managers needed any more proof that ocean container lines are “on the ropes,” the latest move by Maersk demonstrates just how dire their situation has become.

Dick Bove: Freddie Mac is insolvent

Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton cited a hedging loss of $4.2 billion as reason for the quarterly results, which Richard Bove, vice president of equity research at Rafferty Capital Markets, takes exception to. “This company is insolvent and playing financial games that are not acceptable,” Bove told clients Wednesday.

Freddie Mac’s fourth actual loss risk-sharing deal prices wide

Freddie Mac announced Tuesday that it priced its fourth Structured Agency Credit Risk series offering featuring actual-loss positions. The deal, STACR Series 2015-DNA, priced wide of its last STACR DNA series deal, STACR Series 2015-DNA2.

Zillow Group ‘significantly exceeds’ own expectations, sees revenue grow 13%

Zillow Group, which is the parent company for the consumer brands Zillow, Trulia and StreetEasy, turned in a strong third quarter, so strong in fact, that the company’s performance exceeded its own projections.

Donald Trump accuses Obama, Yellen of conspiring to keep interest rates low

Every time Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a crowd, either in a debate, in a one-on-one with the media or at a campaign event, it’s more likely than not that he’s going to say something that creates a buzz. And Tuesday was no different, although this time, Trump went well beyond commenting on Carly Fiorina’s looks or getting into it with Jeb Bush about 9/11.

CFPB secures $107 million in relief for consumers

In the ninth edition of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Supervisory Highlights, the bureau records that its actions resulted in $107 million in relief to more than 238,000 consumers. The report includes details on exactly where servicers and originators violated rules.

Are servicers finally off the CFPB’s hit list?

For quite some time now, it appeared that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was out to get the servicing industry. However, a quick perusal of the new supervisory report from the CFPB might finally be a sign that servicers are no longer at the top of the bureau’s hit list. Can servicers finally breathe a sigh of relief?

Freddie Mac CEO: Lenders should offer more low down payment mortgages

In an interview with HousingWire, Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton said he wants mortgage lenders to feel more comfortable with originating more low down payment mortgages. Layton said that lenders are gripped by an “undue fear” of representation and warrants claims, saying recently such activity is “way down.”

Wharf Street acquires majority stake in Kroll Bond Rating Agency

Kroll Bond Rating Agency now has a new majority owner, as the credit ratings agency announced Tuesday that one of its minority investors, private-equity firm Wharf Street, acquired a majority stake in the firm.

CoreLogic: Home prices up 6.4% in September

While home prices nationwide, including distressed sales, increased by 6.4% in September 2015 compared with a year ago, Sam Khater, deputy chief economist for CoreLogic, explained that this is once again good news for the company given past home price results.

Freddie Mac reports first loss in four years

Freddie Mac's third quarter net income plummeted compared to last quarter, posting a net loss of $475 million for the third quarter of 2015, significantly down from $4.2 billion in the second quarter of 2015. However, this aside, Donald Layton, CEO, said, "The business had very strong fundamentals with growing volumes of guarantees and continued improving credit quality in the guarantee businesses."

Nationstar 3Q earnings drop to $32 million

Nationstar Mortgage Holdings’ third-quarter adjusted earnings dropped to $32 million, compared to $35 million in the second quarter. However, despite the decline, Jay Bray, CEO, remained positive on the company's recent improvements.

American Southwest Mortgage Co. partners with Mercury Network

Mercury Network, a software platform that allows lenders and appraisal management companies to manage their collateral valuation workflow, announced that American Southwest Mortgage Co. began using Mercury Network’s suite of offerings.

Manufacturing grows in October but at a lower level, reports ISM

The PMI, the ISM’s index to measure growth, was 50.1 in October, which was down 0.1 percent from September and now at its lowest level since May 2013, when it was also at 50.1. The PMI has been at 50 or higher for 33 consecutive months, with the over all economy growing for 77 months in a row. The current PMI is 1.6 percent below the 12-month average of 52.7.

Clayton Homes buys Georgia homebuilder for $50 million

Clayton Homes, a manufactured home builder that is part of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, is buying Chafin Communities, a Georgia-based residential homebuilder, for $50 million. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which first reported the acquisition earlier Monday, Clayton will receive nearly 1,100 lots as part of the deal.