Robert E. Story Jr., CMB, chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), has issued the following statement in reaction to proposed legislation to modernize regulation of the financial services industry: "MBA supports efforts to modernize the regulatory structure for mortgage banking firms, but we are concerned that this bill could be headed down several of the same wrong paths as the legislation that moved through the House late last year.Read more

Fiserv Inc., a provider of financial services technology solutions, has announced enhanced investor capabilities for its Loan Servicing Platform. The technology allows users of its Loan Servicing Platform to have real-time access to the cash position as it relates to their investor portfolios. San Francisco-based Bank of the West, with $60 billion in assets, is already using the new investor capability on the Fiserv Loan Servicing Platform.Read more

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has closed on a sale of notes backed by residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) from seven failed bank receiverships. The sale was conducted through a private placement priced and allocated on March 5th. The transaction was met with robust investor demand, with over 70 investors participating across fixed and floating rate series. The investors included banks, investment funds, insurance funds and pension funds. All investors were qualified institutional buyers.Read more

Today, March 11, 2010, Mike Anderson, CRMS, vice chairman of the Government Affairs Committee for the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) will testify before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development at a hearing entitled, “The FHA Reform Act of 2010.” The hearing, which will start at 2:00 p.m. EST and be held at the 2128 Rayburn House Office Building, consisting of two panels: Panel I will include Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner David H.Read more

Freddie Mac has released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.95 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending March 11, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 4.97 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.03 percent. The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.32 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.33 percent.Read more

There’s a new sheriff in town. It’s about time and none too soon! These folks mean business! The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) is determined to move forward with strong actions to reduce defaults and claims that are dragging down the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance program. Guided by the firm resolve of its new HUD Secretary, Shaun Donovan, and FHA Commissioner, David H. Stevens, new ways and means are being implemented to put FHA’s future on a much stronger foundation.Read more

Freddie Mac has released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.97 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending March 4, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 5.05 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.15 percent. The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.33 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.40 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.72 percent.Read more

During the last two weeks of 2009, rates made a pretty significant move upward. We have been warning about potential regarding volatility with regard to the bond market. The past few months before the end of the year were void of this volatility. Despite this, the markets moving significantly should not have caught us by surprise. Many will say that there was very light volume in the markets during these two weeks. Certainly light volume can exacerbate tendencies toward volatility in the short run. However, even if rates move back down, we believe there is a lesson to be learned here.Read more

National Mortgage Professional Magazine recently had an opportunity to chat with David H. Stevens, Assistant Secretary for Housing at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), and 27th Commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).Read more

Ted Tozer has been sworn in as president of the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Tozer will be responsible for ensuring Ginnie Mae safely guarantees the principal and interest payments on mortgage-backed securities (MBS) backed by loans insured or guaranteed by the FHA, VA, HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing, and the USDA's Rural Development Housing & Community Facilities Programs. He is a graduate of Indiana University with a BA in accounting and finance.Read more