News

New data shows inventory is down 5 percent over the year, with the biggest decreases in Minneapolis, Columbus, and Seattle. Home values are up 6.8 percent year-over-year, hitting $196,500 for the month of March. Values appreciated most in Tampa, Dallas, and Seattle.

SunTrust Banks, Inc. reported its Q1 2017 results. The bank posted a net income of $451 million, or $0.91 per average common diluted share. This is a three percent increase over the previous quarter and a four percent year-over-year increase. The bank noted that higher mortgage-related income and investment-related income pushed the noninterest income up by $32 million.

Critics have begun to speak out after President Trump signed two executive orders calling for the review into “too big to fail” and a number of financial oversight entities. Some even fear it could signal another financial crisis is on the horizon. Trump’s orders specifically require a review of the Financial Stability Oversight Council and the Orderly Liquidation Authority.

According to month-end data from March, the national delinquency rate has fallen to its lowest point in 11 years, hitting 3.62 percent. The number of non-current properties and the total inventory of loans under foreclosure, both fell to historic lows as well. Prepay speeds increased—a typical indicator of increasing refi activity.

A new white paper has proposed a detailed plan for reforming the nation’s GSEs. Offering a roadmap toward reform, the paper also outlines how to handle the transition to a new GSE system, as well as the secondary markets role in the move. The paper is designed to help legislators move GSE reform along—a goal the new administration has made clear.

CFPB and 21 state's litigation against Ocwen created ripples through the industry . In a statement, Ocwen repsonded to the litigations. Accordiong to Ocwen, the suit's allegations are "inaccurate and unfounded."

According to former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, Dodd-Frank has caused stock prices to soar and rolling it back would have a positive impact on the economy. In an interview with CNBC on Thursday, Greenspan discussed Dodd-Frank, tax cuts, and more. Dodd-Frank has been a hot-button topic since President Trump orders a review of the law back in February.

New data shows that 30,000 permanent loan modifications and 95,000 non-foreclosure solutions were completed for the month of February. The month saw only about 22,000 foreclosure sales. Around 90 percent of families that had a rate-resetting loan modification for the month avoided foreclosure.

A new JPMorgan Chase Institute report highlights the link between interest rate changes and consumer spending for homeowners with adjustable-rate vs. fixed-rate mortgages. The study, released on Thursday, could provide valuable insight to housing policy makers regarding how their actions affect the type of mortgage a homeowner chooses as well as how they impact the consumption habits of homeowners with ARMs, compared to those with fixed rates, throughout the business cycle.

According to a new report from the OCC, there were many lessons learned through the agency’s supervision of Wells Fargo during recent controversy. Failure to respond timely to known issues, ineffective communication, and unclear records were just a few of the problems cited. The agency is currently working to address all weaknesses identified.