The Community Home Lenders of America and National Association of REALTORS sent a letter to the Federal Housing Administration offering advice on the 203(k) loan program.
Section 203(k) insurance enables allows homebuyers to pay for both a house and the cost of its renovation through a single mortgage. It applies to refinances as well, so long as the home is more than a year old and the repairs cost at least $5,000.
Both organizations applauded the program, saying the loans “create an opportunity for low to moderate income and first-time buyers to participate in homeownership by facilitating the financing of homes in need of rehabilitation.”
There are 16 million vacant homes in the U.S., many of which are uninhabitable due…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Members of the Mortgage Bankers Association are gathered in Washington this week to advocate for legislative reforms that could benefit the industry and consumers.
The National Advocacy Conference started on Tuesday morning at the JW Marriott with a general session about the current political landscape. Robert Broeksmit, president and CEO of the MBA, told those in attendance that elected representatives want to know what is happening in their states and how they can better serve their constituents.
While highlighting victories for the industry, Broeksmit said he was delighted that Federal Housing Administration Commissioner Julia Gordon announced a reduction in mortgage insurance premiums at the MBA Servicing Solutions Conference & Expo in Orlando this past February.
It’s a…
By PATRICK LAVERY
A new book providing insider insight into how millions of Americans were provided mortgage and rental assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been released.
“Shelter from the Storm: How a COVID Mortgage Meltdown Was Averted” is by Cato Institute Senior Advisor Mark Calabria who was, at the outset of the pandemic, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Federal Home Loan Banks.
Calabria’s new policy memoir, promoted as “a story about how you can directly help Main Street without bailing out Wall Street,” not only takes a look at the issues that surfaced in 2020 and beyond but also how the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis –…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
A California apartment building owner who suggested a couple move into a bigger unit to accommodate their growing family is being charged with discrimination by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials.
Melinda Teruel is accused of making repeated efforts to convince the couple to move into a larger apartment in the city of Burlingame even though they told her they could not afford it. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against families with children under the age of 18.
“As HUD prepares to commemorate Fair Housing Month during April 2023, this charge of discrimination is a reminder that the fight for fair housing must continue,” Demetria McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Officials in New York say leaders at a top provider of title insurance for the real estate and mortgage industries will terminate “no-poach” agreements, pay the state $3.5 million, and cooperate with ongoing investigations in the industry.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the news on Wednesday. The settlement with Fidelity National Financial, Inc. is one of at least five cases James has pursued against title insurance companies as she works to stop “no-poach” agreements in the state.
“New Yorkers deserve fair pay for their hard work and experience in their fields, and their career growth should never be threatened by a company’s desire to save money on wages. My office will continue standing up for…
Industry leaders are rallying around a federal bill that would permit the nationwide use of remote online notarization.
The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act, H.R. 1509, establishes national standards for remote and electronic notarizations. The legislation requires the creation and retention of video and audio recordings, as well as the use of communication technologies such as video chats during remote notarizations. It passed the House on Feb. 27.
Leaders at the Mortgage Bankers Association support remote online notarization on the state and national level. They say the bill’s requirements are consistent with industry standards.
“The bill’s minimum standards for RON are consistent with both the MBA-ALTA model state RON bill and the Mortgage Industry Standards…
By PATRICK LAVERY
The result of this week’s two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting was not nothing, but neither was it as aggressive a decision as officials at the Federal Reserve might have liked to make.
Once again, the target range for the federal funds rate was raised one-quarter of a percentage point, bringing them up to 4.75% to 5%.
What kind of news that turns out to be for the housing market remains to be seen, but it doesn’t stray too much from what several industry experts told The Mortgage Note last week.
In fact, the 25-basis point hike was exactly what was predicted in TMN’s interview with Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of real estate research for…
By SCOTT KIMBLER
Leaders at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have unveiled their proposed budget for FY 2024 and say funds will be directed at solving the nation’s housing crisis.
Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement that the proposed budget will help ensure every American has access to housing.
“The budget invests in Americans at every station in life – from those seeking to purchase a home to those who receive HUD rental assistance – and will ensure families across the country can live in communities that are safe, affordable, and resilient,” Fudge said.
HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman said during a press call that the budget reflects the Biden administration’s values and provides a blueprint…
By PATRICK LAVERY
Speculation about what actions leaders at the Federal Reserve will take at their meeting starting Tuesday has been building for weeks, and opinions over the right course of action are varied.
Should they stay the course, steadily raising interest rates to try to continue to curb inflation? Should they be more aggressive? Or should they pull back, letting the United States slide into a recession?
These questions have been swirling for months but the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and New York-based Signature Bank changed the dynamics of the conversations seemingly overnight.
Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of real estate research for the National Association of Realtors, said prior to the bank collapses, she could…
Mixed economic indicators released this week may stall the Federal Reserve’s plans for another round of aggressive rate hikes.
Retail sales fell 0.4% in February as consumers strained under high inflation, Commerce Department data released Wednesday showed. Spending fell in eight of the thirteen groups analyzed, with furniture and department stores seeing the biggest dips.
Bar and restaurants saw sales fall by 2.2%, the most in more than a year.
But a surprise decline in producer prices provided a glimmer of hope that inflation may be cooling. Wholesale prices were down 0.1%, upending the Dow Jones prediction of a 0.3% increase. The index still increased YOY, but by less than expected.
Both of these reports come just a day after…
