Loan-Originator-pre-nuptial-
Uncategorized

Get an LO Pre-Nup

The recent decision in California in favor of Irvine-based, Mount Olympus Mortgage against Guaranteed Mortgage and a former Loan Originator, for corporate espionage (stealing loans) has lenders reviewing their contracts and employment agreements with their LOs. These contracts need to cover more than just compensation. They should also specifically spell out who “owns” the customer and what happens if, and…

Continue Reading

Hillary-Clinton-mike-Vitali-Republicans
Mortgage Industry Trends

Who’s to Blame for the Housing Crash?

We finally have the answer to who is responsible for the devastating effects of the housing crash of 2008. No, it wasn’t the big banks, or Wall Street, or even those despicable mortgage bankers. According to Presidential hopeful, and most likely our next Democrat nominee for President, Hillary Clinton, it was those good ole Republicans. Who else? Silly me, I…

Continue Reading

113-million-doj-fine-freedom-mortgage
Mortgage Industry Trends

Another Day, Another DOJ Settlement

This time, it’s Freedom Mortgage to the tune of $113 million. Same story, the Department of Justice, under the False Claims Act, brought the action against Freedom for violations in the FHA insurance program resulting in losses sustained by FHA. About a week ago, Freedom agreed to the settlement without admitting liability, but it cost them big bucks just the…

Continue Reading

GSE-Student-loan-update
Mortgage Industry Trends

How Student Loans Impact a Borrower’s Ability to Obtain a Mortgage loan!

The USDA recently published some guidance relative to how student loans should be treated with respect to calculating a Borrower’s monthly expenses.  Also, the GSE’s previously changed their policies on how repayments made on student loans are handled in calculating debt-to-income ratios. In addition, HUD/FHA implemented major changes in the way student loan debt is handled when calculating monthly obligations…

Continue Reading

Mortgage Industry Trends

VA Issues Guidance On TRID Fees

Better late than never. The VA has issued their guidance for the disclosure of allowable fees to veterans for a VA guaranteed loan. VA Circular 26-16-11 (Exhibit A & Exhibit B) outlines how a lender should be disclosing allowable fees and charges and how a lender and seller credit should be reflected on the new Closing Disclosure to offset an…

Continue Reading

inequality-income-tax-deductions
Mortgage Industry Trends

Mortgage Tax Deduction Fuels Inequality

Another shocking news headline! A new report by Trulia claims that the long-standing mortgage interest tax deduction available to all homeowners is mostly a benefit to white male homeowners (Inequality). Women and minorities are not getting the same benefit. The report goes on to show how a larger percentage of whites own homes (almost 63%), with the percent of those…

Continue Reading