News

HOPE NOW released its May loan modification data Monday, revealing that the month saw nearly 38,000 completed short sales. The May short sale total brings the organization's overall total (since December 2009) to nearly 906,000. In addition, HOPE NOW reported that an estimated 63,000 homeowners received permanent, affordable loan modifications during the month, 17,590 of which were completed under HAMP.

In a shareholder class-action lawsuit, former executives of IndyMac Bankcorp agreed to settle for $6.5 million following the bank's 2008 collapse, the Associated Press reported Sunday.

The FDIC announced Friday the closure of Montgomery Bank & Trust in Ailey, Georgia, after the disappearance of the bank's director. Aubrey Lee Price, an investment advisor and the director of Montgomery Bank & Trust, was accused by the government of wire fraud related to the embezzlement of $17 million from the bank.

Fewer mortgaged-related businesses had to shut down their doors during the first six months of this year compared to the same time period a year ago in 2011, according to the Mortgage Graveyard report released by Mortgage Daily.

The U.S. Mortgage Insurance (USMI) unit of Genworth Financial, Inc., announced Monday that it has made enhancements to its customer-facing website. The enhancements are designed to reduce the time and data entry required to submit a full-service loan package.

In May, foreclosure starts outnumbered foreclosure sales by a near 3-1 ratio, according to report from Lender Processing Services (LPS). Even though foreclosure starts and sales saw similar monthly increases, the actual number of foreclosure starts was significantly higher, with starts numbering 202,707 while foreclosure sales totaled 73,439. Also, foreclosure inventory maintained historically high levels at 4.14 percent. LPS Applied Analytics SVP Herb Blecher said the situation is more nuanced when looking at the breakdown between states that apply judicial versus non-judicial foreclosure processes.

Housing activity is going strong in Southwestern Pennsylvania, according to a report released by West Penn Multi-List, Inc., on Thursday.

Downturns in economic confidence hasn't shaken consumers' optimism in the housing market, Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey for June showed. According to the survey, the average home price expectation rose to 2 percent in June, up 0.6 percent from May and the highest recorded value since the survey began two years ago. In addition, 35 percent of respondents expect that home prices will go up in the next year, the highest level recorded since the survey's inception.

Once again, data compiled in the Obama administration's Housing Scorecard pointed to both signs of promise and reasons for concern. One positive indicator for housing was the 7.4 percent rise in home equity to $457.1 billion in the first quarter of 2012. On the downside, the impact of serious delinquencies and underwater mortgages continues to strain the housing market. One popular administration program for underwater borrowers is the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). So far, HUD Acting Assistant Secretary Erika Poethig said almost half a million families have taken advantage of the program, and refinanced families save an average of $2,500 per year.

While still in positive territory, June marked another month of feeble gains in employment with the addition of 80,000 jobs. This was followed by 77,000 jobs added in May and 68,000 in April. While the second quarter gains look bleak in comparison to first quarter growth, Capital Economics said June's employment report doesn't mean the recovery has come to a complete halt - it has just lost momentum.