Strong home sales are boosting originations of Federal Housing Administration loans and opening the door for first-time buyers — developments that could portend the mortgage insurance agency receiving a positive report from auditors this fall.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

BB&T Corp. has agreed to pay $83 million to settle a Department of Justice investigation over loans that failed quality control tests but were still insured by the Federal Housing Administration.

Community bankers are showing renewed interest in consumer lending but admit they may be losing ground to more tech-savvy players, according to a survey released Thursday.

Wells Fargo, reeling from weeks of pummeling over fraudulent customer accounts, was sanctioned by the Justice Department and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency over improperly repossessing cars owned by members of the military.

Orrstown Financial in Shippensburg, Pa., has agreed to pay a $1 million to settle charges that it misled investors as it raised capital in the wake of the financial crisis.

City National Bank in Los Angeles has launched a national business to focus on the food and beverage industries.

Scottrade Financial Services, an online brokerage services company whose holdings include the $16 billion-asset Scottrade Bank, is working with an adviser to explore a sale, according to people familiar with the matter.

The traditional audience for prepaid cards is the underbanked or unbanked, many of whom are excluded from the mainstream financial services system due to their lacking credit histories. Green Dot is nevertheless pursuing this audience with a Platinum Visa secured credit card that requires an upfront cash deposit and carries a raft of fees.

The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a free-speech clash with big stakes for retailers and credit-card companies, agreeing to decide the fate of laws in 10 states that limit how merchants can describe the lower prices they charge for cash transactions.

Revere Bank in Laurel, Md., has raised $31 million in a subordinated debt offering that it plans to use for M&A and other purposes.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposal not only requires lenders to determine a borrower's ability to repay, but also forces creditors to follow the bureau's approach to making that determination.

Mercantile Bank Corp. in Grand Rapids, Mich., announced several promotions that underscore a heightened focus on loan growth.

Granite Bank in Portsmouth, N.H., has acquired Cousins Home Lending.

As the Wells Fargo story has played out, pundits have been quick to blame "sales culture" for improper behavior, but that's like blaming automobiles for reckless drivers.

Riverview Bancorp in Vancouver, Wash., has agreed to buy certain assets and liabilities of MBank in Gresham, Ore.

It's time that financial institutions in America recognize the value that women can bring to the executive suite and boardroom.

Simple, the digital-only "neobank" owned by BBVA Compass, is testing out its second product, a contemporary twist on the traditional joint account.

A federal judge has silenced — at least temporarily — a whistleblower who brought charges of misconduct at the parent company of Bank of Internet USA in San Diego.

The $234 million-asset bank said in a recent press release that Thomas Duryea had succeeded its founder, Shirley Nelson.