By Mike Colpitts Banks and mortgage companies raised mortgage rates on new borrowers this week as the demand for new home loans and refinancing sunk, according to Freddie Mac. The rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage saw a jump to 3.98%, a tenth of one-percent higher than last week. The rate was at… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Jump on Fewer Applications
Category: Banks
SEC Charges Bank CEO with Misleading Investors
By Mike Colpitts Almost five years after the housing market collapse, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged a bank CEO with misleading investors about growing problems over its real estate loan portfolio. The SEC said BankAtlantic Bancorp CEO Alan Levan made misleading statements in public filings and earnings calls in order to hide the… Continue reading SEC Charges Bank CEO with Misleading Investors
FHA Cracks Down on Mortgage Lenders
By Kevin Chiu The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will toughen its standards to approve mortgage lenders doing business with the government, and force more banks and mortgage companies to buy back defaulted mortgages in a major move to crack down on mortgage lenders. The federal government’s changes are part of an effort to improve mortgage… Continue reading FHA Cracks Down on Mortgage Lenders
Refinancing Underwater Mortgage Program Proposed
By Mike Colpitts Following weeks of rumors and speculation, President Barack Obama said he would be sending Congress a proposal to provide refinancing for underwater homeowners that will save borrowers up to $3,000 a year during his State of the Union Speech last night. The announcement could not have come with better timing. Mortgage applications… Continue reading Refinancing Underwater Mortgage Program Proposed
Mortgage Rates Tick Lower
By Kevin Chiu Mortgage rates, already at their lowest levels on record, ticked a single basis point lower on the fixed rate 30-year mortgage, according to Freddie Mac. The weekly survey showed that the heavily watched mortgage average edged slightly lower to 3.88% to a new all-time record low. However, the shorter 15-year fixed rate… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Tick Lower
Refinances Leap to New High on Low Mortgage Rates
By Kevin Chiu Refinancing mortgages leaped to a new high as homeowners came out in force to obtain lower mortgage rates prompted by the recently introduced Obama administration refinance program, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The jump in loan applications came as borrowing costs hit record low rates. Refinances saw a leap of 26.4%… Continue reading Refinances Leap to New High on Low Mortgage Rates
Record Low Mortgage Rates Push Pick Up
By Mike Colpitts Driven by an increase in home purchases, mortgage applications picked up for the week as buyers took advantage of record low mortgage rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The sharp increase in home sales accounted for an 8.1% rise in mortgage applications after the holiday week placed by home buyers for… Continue reading Record Low Mortgage Rates Push Pick Up
Tougher Sanctions on Banks Proposed
By Kevin Chiu U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is calling for tougher sanctions on banks abandoning homes they foreclose on leaving tax payers on the hook to maintain properties, and tougher standards to prevent evictions of families. “Too many Wall Street banks are walking away from too many Ohio Main Street communities,” said Brown. “And… Continue reading Tougher Sanctions on Banks Proposed
Attorney General Moves to Recover Homeowner Damages
By Kevin Chiu Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is going after foreclosure attorney David J. Stern in state court in an aggressive effort to speed up the court case against the foreclosure kingpin. The state’s top prosecutor has filed a motion asking the Fourth District Court of Appeal to certify a decision that makes a… Continue reading Attorney General Moves to Recover Homeowner Damages
Lawmakers Expand Role of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
By Mike Colpitts Instead of reducing their role in the U.S. mortgage market as lawmakers assured voters, Congress has increased the government’s part in the home mortgage market, and is expected to keep a major portion of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae under government control for at least a decade. Under the agreement to extend… Continue reading Lawmakers Expand Role of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae