With all the talk lately about whether the housing market is improving or not comes a new study from BMO Harris Bank reporting that over 50% of Americans say they will buy a home within the next 5 years (More Buyers). I wonder if this study includes illegal aliens, or should I say undocumented visitors. I digress… This comes as…
Author: Michael Vitali
Big Brother is Not Just Watching
Just in case you missed it, I thought you might be interested in this article about Facebook’s foray into the mortgage market (Facebook). You might find this amusing, but I find it a little scary. It’s not bad enough that social media has found its way into just about every segment of our lives. Now, Facebook wants to use the…
CFPB Study on Arbitration is Counterproductive
Under Dodd-Frank, the CFPB is required to conduct a study of the mortgage arbitration process and its effects on consumers. Interestingly, a study of the CFPB report on arbitration done by the Mercatus Center at Georgia University found the CFPB’s own findings do not support the need for them to meddle in the current arbitration process (Arbitration). Once more it…
It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over; HUD Settlements Continue
Do you know Helen Kanovsky? Hopefully not, because if you do, it may be that you ran afoul of HUD rules somewhere along the way. Here’s a recent quote from Attorney Kanovsky, “FHA-approved lenders are obligated to apply our underwriting standards, not only to protect our insurance fund but to make certain families can sustain their mortgages. Lenders who engage in…
Now Comes Bad News on Home Sales
I’m getting a little confused about home sales, home buyers, the economic recovery and how all this affects the mortgage market. A couple of weeks ago, I was hearing a rosier outlook for home sales from MBA. In fact, they increased their 2016 mortgage originations projection for 2016 to $885 billion, an increase of about $94 billion. This was on…
Will Fannie & Freddie Purchase Mobile Home Loans?
Wow, this one has me a little worried, no, a lot worried! Under what is called the “duty to serve” requirements of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) of 2008, FHFA, the agency that oversees both Fannie and Freddie, is pushing these agencies to purchase loans made for the purchase of mobile homes (Scary Proposal). Interestingly, the proponents of…