Mortgages

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s takeover of IndyMac Bancorp Inc. is giving the agency the chance to practice what it has preached on loan modifications.

WASHINGTON — New laws and regulations designed to reform the mortgage brokerage industry missed at least two key problems, according to industry observers.

A provision tucked in the housing rescue law lets banks invest in public welfare projects without regard to a community's income levels, removing a limit set by a 2006 law.

WASHINGTON — The pressure on servicers and lenders to voluntarily cease foreclosures continues to build and shows no sign of slackening.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Housing Finance Agency — the new regulator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan banks — began life Wednesday with a substantial to-do list.

WASHINGTON — The emergency backstop provided to the government-sponsored enterprises has put the top executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the line of fire.

Nehemiah Corp. of America went to novel lengths Thursday to rally opposition to a provision in the housing bill that would put it and other providers of seller-funded down payment assistance out of business.

With the share of mortgage originations insured by the Federal Housing Administration tripling in the past year, some observers are questioning whether it can handle the additional risk it is taking on.

Despite assurances to the contrary, a growing group of skeptics said Wednesday that they expect the Treasury Department to use the unprecedented power Congress is poised to give it over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

WASHINGTON — A compromise housing bill emerged late Tuesday that finally appears to bridge the gap between House and Senate banking leaders.

WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday continued to send mixed signals about its support for a housing package due for a vote this week, reiterating a veto threat against the legislation despite the inclusion of changes sought by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

Key policymakers continued hammering out details Thursday of housing legislation that is likely to include broader authority for the Treasury Department to back the government-sponsored enterprises.

WASHINGTON — As key House and Senate staff tried to work out a deal on legislation to help the mortgage market Friday, Sen. Richard Shelby, the Banking Committee's top Republican whose support is key to passage, gave the first signs that he is willing to compromise.

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department's move to backstop Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has dramatically accelerated legislative efforts to create a new regulator for the government-sponsored enterprises, observers said Monday.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve Board approved a final rule Monday designed to curb abusive mortgage practices while loosening some provisions to avoid cutting off credit for future borrowers.

WASHINGTON — After several weeks of failed attempts, the Senate passed legislation designed to stabilize the housing market late Friday.

WASHINGTON — Investors fell over themselves this week to sell shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while the front pages of the nation's largest newspapers raised the specter of a government takeover.

The Federal Housing Administration is sharpening its focus on mortgage borrowers without traditional credit scores, a group the agency says has suffered from a pullback in available credit.

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi downplayed concerns Thursday that her demand that the Senate increase the conforming loan limit in a housing package is weakening its chances for enactment.

Much attention has been paid recently to creating a new regulatory structure to help address the problems in the subprime mortgage market. However, regulation of the entire mortgage origination process itself — particularly third-party relationships, where most of the industry's recent troubles originated — deserves just as much attention or more.