Kate Berry

Some banks will be leery about originating loans to the self-employed because they can't document their ability to repay, but others insist that such loans, even outside of QM, are too lucrative to ignore.

In his first major move as head of the agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ex-Rep. Mel Watt said Wednesday that he will delay a planned fee hike that would have raised the cost of most home loans backed by the government-sponsored enterprises.

In his first major move as head of the agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, ex-Rep. Mel Watt said Wednesday that he will delay a planned fee hike that would have raised the cost of most home loans backed by the government-sponsored enterprises.

Despite the risks, lenders have calculated that certain loans that fall outside of QM are worth making and holding on their balance sheets.

Bank of the West said Monday it will continue to offer interest-only mortgages to borrowers even though such loans are excluded from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's qualified mortgage rule that goes into effect Jan. 10.

So far, the big mortgage servicers have received stellar report cards for their compliance with the $25 billion national settlement. That could change this year as testing gets tougher -- potentially costing these companies further embarrassment and penalties.

A hike in guarantee fees could encourage banks to retain loans they might have otherwise sold to Fannie or Freddie, but observers are skeptical that it will accomplish its true mission of jump-starting the market for private-label mortgage securitizations.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has fallen behind in its examinations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because it simply does not have enough examiners to properly monitor the government-sponsored enterprises, according to new report from the agency's watchdog.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is requesting public comment on a plan to gradually reduce the maximum size of loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase from mortgage lenders.

Nearly one in four Federal Housing Administration loans would go belly up in the next five years if another recession hit the U.S., a new study has found.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday released its final rule defining what constitutes a "qualified mortgage."

How to reconfigure retail-delivery networks to suit the next generation of customers was top of mind for bank CEOs Tuesday, even as news headlines dwell on new regulations and sluggish growth.

The regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Monday directed the two housing finance giants to raise fees for all loans in an effort to bring private capital back into the mortgage market and better reflect the credit risks of borrowers.

Many borrowers who took out home equity lines of credit could soon be facing steep increases in their monthly payments, perhaps setting the stage for a fresh round of mortgage delinquencies, according to a new report from Lender Processing Services.

They are inching closer to complying with the $25 billion national settlement but the latest report from monitor Joseph Smith has found that there is still a little more work to be done.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is a rare government agency that funds private enforcement of its own regulations. It does so via its Fair Housing Initiatives Program, which offers grants to nonprofits to carry out the work.

The National Fair Housing Alliance's claims that banks have failed to maintain homes in minority neighborhoods are based on shaky factual and legal ground. However, alliances between the nonprofit and its allies in government may leave bankers with little choice but to settle.

The National Fair Housing Alliance has accused big banks of discriminating against minorities in the upkeep of foreclosed properties and is seeking millions in settlements — mostly for itself. Behind its demands are faulty data and grants overseen by a federal official with close ties to the group.

Simone Lagomarsino has helped turn around a lot of banks, but she'd never seen one in such bad shape. Yet in a phenomenally short amount of time, Lagomarsino has righted the ship at Heritage Oaks Bancorp.

Though bankers generally applauded the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's final rule on mortgage disclosures, they are raising concerns that some of the changes need to be fixed or they'll have no choice but to assess higher fees at the closing.