Home / Tag Archives: OTS (page 3)

Tag Archives: OTS

Initial Registration Period for SAFE Act is Now Open

On Monday, January 31, the federal bank, thrift, and credit union regulatory agencies, along with the Farm Credit Administration began accepting federal registrations for licensing under the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing (SAFE) Act. Under the SAFE Act, originators of residential mortgage loans employed by banks, savings, associations, credit unions, or Farm Credit System institutions must register with the registry, obtain a unique identifier from the registry and maintain their registrations.

Read More »

Regulators Seize United Western Bank and Three Others

Federal regulators took control of United Western Bank over the weekend after losses in 2009 and 2010 left the Denver-based bank ""undercapitalized and in an unsafe and unsound condition to transact business,"" according to the Office of Thrift Supervision. The institution's parent company called the seizure premature and indicated that the move will likely push it into bankruptcy. Three other smaller lenders were also shut down in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Read More »

IAS Says New Appraisal Guidelines Put More Stress on Lenders

New guidelines released last month for real estate appraisals and evaluations will require any transaction originated or purchased by certain agencies to report conditions that affect the estimate of the collateral's market value. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council for real estate appraisals and evaluations require transactions to address the actual physical condition and characteristics as well as the economic and market conditions that may affect value.

Read More »

Regulators: Completed Foreclosures in Q3 Up 57% from Year Ago

New data from federal regulators show that the nation's largest banks and thrifts repossessed nearly 187,000 homes during the third quarter of 2010. The number of foreclosures completed during the three-month period is up 57.5 percent from a year earlier. The report shows that new foreclosures initiated also rose to more than 382,000. Although foreclosure activity increased during the quarter, servicers reported almost twice as many home retention actions as completed home forfeiture actions.

Read More »

CoreLogic’s AVMs Comply with New Federal Standards

CoreLogic says its automated valuation models (AVMs) can assist mortgage lenders in complying with the new federal standards on property valuations. The new standards were released December 2 by the five federal bank regulatory agencies, and emphasize the need for risk-focused appraisal reviews, rigorous AVM testing, enhanced documentation of property condition, and valuation updates during the life of the loan.

Read More »

New Regulatory Rule to Support Foreclosure-Ridden Neighborhoods

Federal regulators on Wednesday announced changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) parameters to support communities affected by high foreclosure levels. The final rule encourages depository institutions to finance development projects in areas that qualify for HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Institutions will receive CRA credit for any NSP-eligible activities, such as loans extended to grant recipients to buy foreclosed homes or a donation of REO properties to a nonprofit housing organization.

Read More »

Q3 Results for U.S. Thrift Industry Continue to be Profitable

New data released by the Office of Thrift Supervision revealed another stable quarter for thrifts, which by law are required to have at least 65 percent of their lending in mortgages and consumer loans. The sector experienced a slump for more than a year from Q4 2007 to Q2 2009, but 2010's third-quarter numbers mark the fifth consecutive quarter of positive results. Profits were posted at $1.77 billion, up from $1.49 billion in Q2 and $1.24 billion in the third quarter of 2009. Not all of the details of the report were positive, however.

Read More »

Federal Reserve and Other Agencies Release New Appraisal Guidelines

Federal regulatory agencies issued guidelines Thursday on sound practices by financial institutions for real estate appraisals and evaluations. The guidelines explain the agencies' minimum standards for appraisals and incorporate the agencies' recent supervisory issuances on appraisal practices. The 70-page document will replace the former guidelines which were written in 1994, and officials say it will ensure consistency in the application and enforcement of appraisal regulations.

Read More »

Servicers with Widespread Paperwork Errors May Face Regulatory Fines

Federal banking regulators are in the process of conducting an in-depth review of foreclosure practices at the nation's largest mortgage servicers, which includes on-site evaluations and examinations of loan files. Officials say in cases where problems are found, regulators will require lenders and servicers to correct not only the faulty documents but the faulty systems that allowed them to occur. One Federal Reserve governor says institutions with ""widespread problems"" could also be subject to fees and penalties.

Read More »

Regulatory Report Shows Increases in Completed Foreclosures and Mods

The credit quality of first-lien mortgages serviced by the nation's largest banks and thrifts remained steady during the second quarter of 2010, according to a new regulatory report. Mortgage delinquency levels were relatively flat but elevated after rising for several quarters. Completed foreclosures were up by 7 percent from the previous quarter, but mortgage modifications increased 18 percent, and the report found that newer mods are showing significantly lower re-default rates.

Read More »