Contracts, Invoices & Legal

While the 30-year average has hovered near the same level for weeks, the past year brought with it promising trends that may ease affordability next year. View the full article

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended approval of Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed acquisition of Comerica. View the full article

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage dropped 3 basis points this week, its lowest level since October and just over its 52-week bottom, Freddie Mac reported. View the full article

Three U.S. senators opened an inquiry into insurance ratings firm Demotech and whether its assessments may be exposing taxpayers to growing risks tied to climate-driven insurer failures. View the full article

Following the resignation of CEO Patrick Donlon as the result of a settlement, Yield Solutions Group has taken operational control of Trusted American Mortgage. View the full article

For 2026, most Wall Street interest-rate strategists expect stable-to-higher Treasury yields as the Fed's rate-cutting cycle comes to an end. View the full article

Housing starts in the US fell in October to the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic as data delayed by last fall's government shutdown showed builders continued to cut back amid still-high prices and mortgage rates. View the full article

A pair of fair housing attorneys fired by the Department of Housing and Urban Development testified the agency has stopped enforcement of those laws. View the full article

Pfotenhauer held many positions in the mortgage and title industries in his long career, including being the chair of Merscorp, MORPAC and MISMO. View the full article

US consumer sentiment increased to a five-month high in January as Americans grew more optimistic about the economy and their finances. View the full article

As the Federal Open Market Committee announces its near-term interest rate plans Wednesday, market watchers expect the central bank to hold interest rates steady as policymakers seek greater clarity on the health of the economy. View the full article

The push by some The President officials to bring charges against James had stalled as former U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert determined their wasn't enough evidence. View the full article

A potential government shutdown could create unprecedented risks for housing, delaying data releases, and affecting markets more than past shutdowns. View the full article

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said despite the near term cloudiness to economic projections, he does expect inflation to resume its downward trajectory next year and reach the Fed's 2% inflation target in the coming years. View the full article

A South Carolina resident said she received multiple calls from Freedom loan officers this summer despite registering her number on the do-not-call-registry. View the full article

The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage climbed 12 basis points to 6.46% in the week ended Sept. 26, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. View the full article

Department officials pushed back on criticism that a banner on its homepage violated a statute meant to curb partisanship in government operations. View the full article

The Mortgage Bankers Association's chief operating officer has decided to retire after 11 years at the job. Three association leaders were promoted as a result. View the full article

The loan boarding dataset aims to identify potential problems early during the transaction's setup to avoid slowdowns after origination is completed. View the full article

The court gutted the complaint against the wholesale leader that was filed last year in conjunction with an investigation by a hedge fund-backed newsroom. View the full article

Affordability has improved and rate drops have exposed millions to incentives, but many more must wait for a break, ICE Mortgage Technology found. View the full article

The minority homebuilder share of the industry more than doubled after 2007 but lags when compared to the total non-white U.S. population, according to NAHB. View the full article

Top Democratic lawmakers are asking the full appeals court to hear a case about the The President administration's efforts to fire employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. View the full article

Some lenders have a workaround for the Federal Housing Administration's suspension of reverse mortgage endorsements but fewer options exist in other instances. View the full article