Loss Mitigation

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) strikes once more - against the little guy, reports suggest. One of those came from Moody's Investors Service on Thursday. The ratings agency released a report that linked a tide of new rules from the credit bureau to ""costly"" and ""challenging"" new costs for small to midsize servicers. According to Moody's, these servicers will likely encounter ""significant hurdles"" in moves to adopt the single point of contact strategy.

Oh behalf of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), managing director Tim Cameron prepared remarks for a meeting in San Bernardino County to once again, express opposition towards the area's proposed use of eminent domain. In his remarks, Cameron stated, ""we believe that the use of eminent domain would significantly harm mortgage finance markets, reduce access to credit for borrowers, and negatively impact average investors' portfolios."" San Bernardino County and the cities of Fontana and Ontario created a Joint Powers Authority to explore the use of eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages at fair market value.

First time claims for unemployment insurance edged up 2,000 for the week ended Aug. 11 to 366,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected 365,000 initial claims. The prior week's total was revised up to 364,000 from the originally reported 361,000.

A lawsuit against eight companies in the mortgage industry alleges the defendants used fraudulent mortgage documents to process foreclosures on Ohio homeowners and charged the foreclosed homeowners inflated, unfair fees. According to the lawsuit, the companies were involved in ""abusive foreclosure practices"" that involved preparing, executing, and notarizing fraudulent court documents and assignments of mortgages used to initiate and prosecute foreclosures.

Higher-risk mortgage loans may have a new set of rules to go by when it comes to appraisals. A proposed rule from six federal agencies would set out new requirements when conducting appriasals for higher risk mortgages. For example, the rule would require creditors to use a licensed or certified appraiser when preparing reports based on the physical inspection of a property.

An injunction granted to Allied Home Mortgage that offered the mortgage lender relief from a suspension was recently dismissed. In November 2011, Allied was barred by HUD from originating and underwriting new FHA insured-mortgages. HUD accused Allied of violating HUD/FHA requirements and committing fraud. Allied countered with its own lawsuit and filed for declaratory and injunctive relief. A federal judge in Houston provided Allied with the preliminary injunction, which was recently lifted by U.S. District Judge Gray Miller.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he does not support the use of eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages at a committee hearing Tuesday, the Chicago Sun Times reported.

For borrowers who refinanced in the second quarter, shorter fixed-rate mortgages dominated consumer preferences. Among those who refinanced in Q2, more than 95 percent opted for fixed-rate loans, according to the Freddie Mac Quarterly Product Transition Report.

The first half of 2012 saw more than 385,000 permanent loan modifications for struggling homeowners, HOPE NOW reported Tuesday. The voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage professionals and non-profit counselors released its June 2012 data, showing that 385,468 homeowners received permanent loan modifications for the first half of the year.

In Colorado, foreclosure filings were on the rise year-over-year in July, while foreclosure sales were down, according to a report from the Colorado Division of Housing. Foreclosure filings, which represent the beginning of the foreclosure process, spiked up 14 percent to 1,976 in July from 1,733 a year ago the same month. Foreclosure sales, which represent the time when the foreclosure process is completed, fell 23.7 percent to 865.