The biggest mortgage, lending and housing finance stories of 2022

The industry dodged a meltdown, but skyrocketing mortgage rates fueled a rush to “right size” and helped crown a new leader in mortgage lending. Continue reading

Wells Fargo paying $3.7B to settle mortgage, auto loan allegations

Federal regulators allege bank improperly denied thousands of mortgage loan modifications over at least seven years, in some cases leading customers to lose their homes. Continue reading

Real estate transfer tax hikes create headaches for mortgage lenders

Federal regulations provide “zero tolerance” for miscalculating real estate transaction taxes when providing TILA-RESPA integrated disclosure to borrowers, Black Knight warns. Continue reading

President Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act into law

President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law on Tuesday, codifying same-sex and interracial marriage rights. The Act ensures same-sex couples’ marriages would be federally recognized if the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell. Continue reading

Squabble in paradise: What’ll happen to $256M in FTX real estate?

The US and Bahamian governments are jockeying to oversee the bankruptcy of crypto exchange FTX — and its trove of real estate holdings — following the arrest Monday of Sam Bankman-Fried in the Bahamas. Continue reading

Mortgage broker who forged loan documents for clients gets 5 years

Prosecutors say Alex Ashod Dadourian, a licensed mortgage loan broker in Southern California, fabricated income and employment verification documents to win approvals for 17 mortgages totaling more than $8 million. Continue reading

After 2-year ordeal, FHA borrowers can now buy private flood insurance

The Department of Housing and Urban Development on Monday announced it had prevailed in expanding flood insurance choices for homebuyers with Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgages. Continue reading

Carrington grudgingly signs off on $5.25M COVID-19 relief settlement

CFPB alleges some homeowners who sought forbearance during the pandemic were charged improper late fees and weren’t fully informed of their options. Continue reading

5 housing proposals on midterm ballots — and how they shook out

In dozens of communities across the U.S., affordable housing was on the ballot in the midterms. Here’s how some of the biggest proposals did as results were still being tallied. Continue reading

‘Homeowner benefit agreements’ in spotlight amid MV Realty probe

North Carolina regulators are investigating alleged predatory and deceptive practices by Florida-based MV Realty, which operates in 33 states and has more than 500 licensed agents. Continue reading