By Mike Colpitts The U.S. housing market is taking one small step forward at a time. Little by little it is improving. The Mortgage Bankers Association report added to the chorus of reports indicating the small steps forward with its mortgage applications survey today, which showed a small increase in applications for mortgages last week.… Continue reading Another Small Step for Housing as Mortgage Rates Fall
Category: Banks
Mortgage Company CFO Sentenced to 5 Years
By Ryan Jackson The former chief financial officer of one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies, Taylor, Bean and Whitaker, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a $2.9 billion fraud scheme that led to the failure of the company, and cost hundreds of investors millions of dollars. Delton de… Continue reading Mortgage Company CFO Sentenced to 5 Years
FDIC Bank Failures Decline
By Mike Colpitts Only 24 U.S. banks have failed so far and had to be closed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation this year, the largest decline since the financial crisis started in 2008. The FDIC attributed the lower number of bank takeovers to an improving economy and an unwinding of bad mortgage debt. “This… Continue reading FDIC Bank Failures Decline
Short Sales Overtaking Foreclosures
By Mike Colpitts Bank assisted short sales or homes that sell at less than what is owed on a mortgage are overtaking foreclosed homes lenders put on the market. The development doesn’t come as a surprise to those involved in the real estate industry. Rather, they expected the transition as part of the U.S. housing… Continue reading Short Sales Overtaking Foreclosures
Foreclosures Jump Resumes After Robo-Signing Slowdown
By Mike Colpitts Foreclosure starts rose for the first time in more than two years in May, signaling a resumption of formal bank repossessions of homes with mortgages in default after months of slower foreclosures. Initial filings were lodged against 205,990 U.S. residential properties, according to RealtyTrac. The increase accounted for a 9% hike in… Continue reading Foreclosures Jump Resumes After Robo-Signing Slowdown
Shadow Inventory Declines, But Still Looms
By Mike Colpitts The shadow inventory or the number of homes that lurk uncounted by banks and other mortgage lenders in the abyss of the troubled housing market is shrinking as banks offer more troubled homeowners, including landlords short sales for the first time since the U.S. housing crisis started. Estimates of the shadow inventory,… Continue reading Shadow Inventory Declines, But Still Looms
Record Lows Drive Mortgages to Sizzle
By Mike Colpitts Driven by record low mortgage rates, applications for new mortgages soared to their highest level since 2009 as consumers applied for refinancing and new home mortgages in growing droves, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinance applications jumped by a sizzling 19% from the previous week, and purchase applications also climbed 12.8%… Continue reading Record Lows Drive Mortgages to Sizzle
Mortgage Rates Make Incredible Drop
By Mike Colpitts Despite yields being paid to investors on U.S. Treasury bonds rising, mortgage rates dropped for the eighth straight week to another historic all-time low. The rate on a fixed 30-year mortgage fell to an incredible average of 3.67%, down from last week when it averaged 3.75%, according to Freddie Mac. The 30-year… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Make Incredible Drop
Refinances Soar Three Straight Weeks
By Mike Colpitts Fueled by record low mortgage rates, refinances soared for the third straight week as consumers applied for new home mortgages to take advantage of lower mortgage payments, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The jump in refinancing, which rose 5.6% for the week ending May 18, is being sparked by the lowest… Continue reading Refinances Soar Three Straight Weeks
Former Police Officers in Group of 26 Pleading Guilty in Fraud Scheme
By Mike Colpitts Four retired Las Vegas police officers and two real estate agents are among a group of 26 people who have pled guilty to federal charges related to a major fraud scheme involving a dozen Nevada condominium complexes. Federal prosecutors say the conspiracy was bank rolled with more than $8 million funneled through… Continue reading Former Police Officers in Group of 26 Pleading Guilty in Fraud Scheme