Mortgages

While student, auto and credit card balances are at or near record levels, housing debt is shrinking, credit quality is weakening a bit and lending standards, at least in some sectors, are tightening.

Bridgeview Bancorp floated its name with 14 potential buyers, but it only attracted serious interest once it promised to divest a mortgage business that recorded a double-digit decline in fee income last year.

The administration is sending conflicting signals on whether it has a plan to overhaul the housing finance system, further complicating an already complex debate.

The funds the bank promised to spend on consumer relief will instead be used to make new home loans, according to a report by the monitor of its 2017 settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.

HomeStreet Bank will attempt to sell its stand-alone mortgage business and portfolio of servicing rights, a move that comes amid growing pressure from an activist investor to exit home lending and concerns about declining demand and regulatory challenges.

The government-sponsored enterprises are going through a transition period. From proposals for rebuilding their capital cushions to tackling shortages in affordable housing, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac face a number of key challenges with wide-ranging consequences this year.

A group of state regulators has signed off on 14 recommendations, developed by the fintech industry, aimed at streamlining multistate licensing and supervision.

The administration’s choice to regulate the government-sponsored enterprises appeared to distance himself from speculation that the White House may try to overhaul housing finance without legislation.

The time regulators take to decide on prospective deals has dropped sharply; a report says the cyberthieves were looking for info to help recruit spies.

The private equity acquisition of the fintech vendor Ellie Mae will give it some breathing room in a declining originations market because it will have a more patient and strategic investor than its myriad shareholders as a public company.

Industry observers will be closely monitoring Mark Calabria's testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday for hints about how the Trump administration plans to proceed on mortgage finance reform.

The mortgage loan origination system developer Ellie Mae is going private, agreeing to be acquired by the private equity firm Thoma Bravo in an all-cash transaction valued at $3.7 billion.

Depository mortgage lenders are optimistic the final version of a regulation designed to open up the flood insurance market will make it easier for them to comply with a rule requiring them to accept private carrier policies.

A lawsuit alleging Wells Fargo improperly compensated its California-based mortgage loan officers could have broader ramifications now that it has been granted class certification.

The Senate Banking Committee will examine the nomination of Mark Calabria to oversee the regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as nominees for the NCUA board and Treasury.

SunTrust’s merger with BB&T is the largest bank deal since the financial crisis, and mortgages will play a critical role in the execution of this transaction.

The comptroller of the currency also addressed, in his role as acting FHFA head, whether Congress or the Trump administration will spearhead GSE reform.

The deal would be the biggest bank merger in more than a decade; banks would need to show how many days they could last with just cash on hand.

Once a moneymaker and executive training spot, the business is no longer cost-effective; Edward Bramson wants a board seat.

After the State of the Union speech Tuesday night, members of the House and Senate banking committees said they were intent on trying to address the biggest unresolved piece of financial services policy: housing finance reform.