Kate Berry is American Banker's consumer finance reporter. She has been a reporter at the Orange County Register, the Associated Press and Dow Jones Newswires. She began her media career as a clerk at the New York Times.

Barbara Desoer, President of B of A Home Loans, to Retire
February 3, 2012 Barbara Desoer, the president of Bank of America's home loans division and once considered a candidate for CEO of the entire...

Ally CEO Tries to Ignore Massive Mortgage Woes
February 2, 2012 Ally Financial is "on par" with any top-tier financial company — as long as analysts ignore the massive mortgage problems...

Streit Talk on Green Dot
February 1, 2012 Its founder relished being a spoiler for bankers. Now he has joined their ranks.

Claims that Freddie Mac 'Bets Against Homeowners' Are Bunk
January 31, 2012 Caught between Democrats and Republicans, Freddie Mac is guilty of the ultimate sin: owning something it can't easily explain.

Big Banks Leave Black Hole in Correspondent Lending
January 30, 2012 The race for the exits is intensifying among big banks that purchase mortgages from correspondent lenders, creating liquidity...

Citigroup Will Buy Only 'Low-Risk' Mortgages-Memo
January 25, 2012 Citigroup Inc. will no longer purchase "medium or high-risk" loans that could result in buyback requests from Fannie Mae or...

Big Banks "Killed" in 4Q Mortgage Results
January 23, 2012 The big banks' mortgage woes keep piling up, in a backlog that is likely to drag down their profits — and a broader...

FHA Takes Steps to Limit Risk of Bad Loans
January 20, 2012 The Federal Housing Administration announced three steps Friday to protect its mortgage insurance fund from sustaining further...

MetLife's Failure to Sell Unit Shows Mortgages Still 'Toxic'
January 13, 2012 MetLife Home Loans was profitable and gaining market share. But the risk of having to repurchase soured loans likely fazed...

Bank Lawyers Hope Nonbanks Handle Dirty Work of CFPB Challenge
January 12, 2012 Big banks may not be very happy about the newly-empowered Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but they're hoping to leave...