Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden has announced his opposition to the proposed $8.5 million Bank of America settlement. He sent a petition to the New York Supreme Court expressing his disapproval and requesting permission to intervene in the court's review of the settlement. ""I am intervening to enforce our laws and to protect Delaware investors who may have been harmed by these toxic securities,"" Biden said. ""Intervening in this settlement puts us in position to ensure that the banks are playing by the rules.""

Mortgage delinquencies remain elevated while other aspects of the consumer credit picture, such as bankcard performance, are improving, according to a new report from Experian. The credit bureau says instances of 60-day mortgage delinquencies have risen by 25 percent from 2007, prior to the recession, while 60-day credit card delinquencies have decreased 20 percent since that time. Portland shows the greatest increase in missed mortgage payments, almost double since 2007.

Ally Financial Inc. reported a profit for the second quarter of 2011, but its results were down from previous earnings. Net income for Q2 was $113 million, a decline from $146 million in the previous quarter and from $565 million one year ago. The company says reducing risk in its legacy mortgage portfolio has been among the top priorities. Ally's GMAC Mortgage has completed more than 700,000 loan workouts for defaulted homeowners since 2008. The mortgage unit says it modifies two loans for every one foreclosure.

On a national level, mortgage fraud risk has declined 2.3 percent over the year but has remained relatively steady for the last five quarters, according to Interthinx's second-quarter risk report. Three states where the risk of mortgage fraud remains highest are Nevada, Arizona, and California. Separately, the FBI released its own report, citing short sale fraud as a growing problem. The FBI says industry insiders and organized crime groups from overseas are the most common perpetrators of mortgage fraud.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have suspended Republic Mortgage Insurance Company (RMIC) and Republic Mortgage Insurance Company of North Carolina as approved mortgage insurers. According to North Carolina law, mortgage insurers must maintain at least one twenty-fifth of their aggregate insured risk outstanding. RMIC fell below this amount in September 2010 but was granted waivers from the North Carolina Department of Insurance. A recent extension of the waiver is set to expire August 31.

American Home Mortgage Servicing Inc. (AHMSI) signed a settlement with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley agreeing to implement a consent judgment between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Option One Mortgage Corporation, which AHMSI acquired in April 2008. In conjunction with the settlement, Coakley also dismissed claims against Coppell, Texas-based AHMSI. The servicer did not incur civil penalties or any other costs.

Bank of America has sold the servicing rights of 400,000 home loans to Fannie Mae, according to media reports. The unpaid principal balance on the loans is said to be $73 billion. The loans were sold at a price of $500 million. BofA's CEO Brian Moynihan referenced a sale of mortgage servicing rights in a CNBC interview this week, but did not name the purchaser. A BofA spokesperson told DS News the sale is consistent with steps the company is taking to address legacy mortgage issues and position for growth.

Housing prices increased 2 percent over the second quarter of 2011, according to the IAS360 House Price Index compiled by Integrated Asset Services (IAS). In contrast to the previous quarter, prices rose in all four of the U.S. Census regions. The smallest increase was in the West - a region hard-hit by the housing crisis - which reported a 0.1 percent rise. IAS attributes the recent gains, at least in part, to delays in foreclosure processing due to legal battles.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently announced the new Mortgage Resolution Fund (MRF) created to permanently modify loans to affordable amounts. The MRF is being funded with $100 million from the state of Illinois and $445.7 million from the Hardest Hit Fund a fund established by the Obama Administration in 2010 to help families in markets hardest hit by the housing and economic crisis. Under the MRF, delinquent loans will be purchased from lenders at present value and modified according to current home values.

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is suing Goldman Sachs in hopes of recovering losses it incurred as the result of two failed credit unions - U.S. Central and Western Corporate federal credit unions. The complaint filed in a California district court alleges Goldman Sachs misrepresented the risks associated with residential mortgage-backed securities bought by the two credit unions, ultimately leading to their demise. It's the fourth securities-related suit NCUA has filed, and the agency says there's more to come.