Headlines

In a new report from PropertyRadar on California single-family home sales, the company found that sales were up 20 percent in April from March. However, sales fell on a yearly basis for the month, declining 13.3 percent. Despite the gains in April, year-to-date sales volume is the lowest it has been since 2008.

In its latest economic forecast, released Wednesday, Fannie Mae reported that housing remains the weakest link in the national economy. Through the first three months of 2014, existing-home sales, new single-family home sales, single-family housing starts, and multifamily housing starts all declined year-over-year.

For the fourth straight month, the inventory of homes for sale has declined 0.4 percent annually in April, according to Zillow. Despite home values falling modestly month-over-month, inventory remains tight with 21 of the nation's largest 35 metros experiencing waning inventory.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFAOIG) released its latest update on the status of the development of the Common Securitization Platform (CSP). In a recent speech, FHFA director Mel Watt said the continued development of the Common Securitization Platform is one of the most important goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac going forward.

Stewart Lender Services announced the appointment of Dan Gallery as group executive over its Capital Markets Group. Gallery will lead the Capital Markets team in their expansion of due diligence services for investment banks, hedge funds, institutional and private investors, as well as mortgage insurance companies.

Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky of New York's Department of Financial Services said the agency plans to dig into fee-based ancillary services at non-banks such as Ocwen andNationstar. While Lawsky said there's "nothing inherently wrong" with companies and affiliates providing ancillary services—ranging from debt collection to loan sales—he asserted that a lack of regulatory oversight up to this point has resulted in "potentially conflicted arrangements" between servicers and their affiliates.

HOPE NOW, a group focused on keeping distressed homeowners in their homes, reported they had successfully completed roughly 133,000 modifications in the first quarter of 2014. Of the reported total, approximately 41,000 permanent modifications were from the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

Speaking before an audience at the Boulder Summer Conference on Consumer Financial Decision Making, CFPB director Richard Cordray spoke on the effects of student loan debt on the future of the housing market. The oft-criticized director commented on the growing $1.2 trillion of student loan debt, and how student debt will have negative ramifications on the housing market in the future.

Zillow released its Negative Equity Report for the first quarter, revealing an estimated 9.7 million homeowners continue to owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth. That number, down from about 9.8 million in Q4 2013, represents about 18.8 percent of mortgage-paying Americans, according to Zillow.

Data through April 2014 showed a decline in the national default rate from March, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices and Experian for the S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices. The indices are a comprehensive measure of changes in consumer credit defaults, released monthly. The national composite default rate recorded its lowest post-recession figure of 1.11 percent in April.