Contracts, Invoices & Legal

The oversight agency for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is taking a new approach to affordability targets and is withdrawing some unrelated, older initiatives. View the full article

In a case mentioned alongside one decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, by 2-1, the judges said they could not overturn a past decision on California's escrow law. 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

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said Friday that the economic outlook is uncertain and that he was adopting a cautious approach to gauging whether slowing growth and a softening labor market outweigh inflation pressures from tariffs. View the full article

VantageScore's claims of outperforming Classic FICO rely on flawed methods and biased comparisons that overstate its impact, according to analysts from AEI Housing Center. View the full article

The ongoing government shutdown prevented the Bureau of Labor Statistics from releasing its September jobs report Friday, but job growth appears to be softening. The lack of reliable government data comes as the Federal Reserve mulls further interest rate cuts. View the full article

Even without the marquee data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics — which won't be published on Friday due to the government shutdown — a number of private-sector indicators out in recent days pointed to sluggish hiring, limited layoffs, modest pay gains and easing demand for workers in September. View the full article

The partnership centers on a master purchase agreement for a portfolio of mortgage servicing rights that the real estate investment trust is buying. View the full article

The city-owned venue will promote the broker search website by team owner Mat Ishbia's mortgage company for 10 years in a $115-million deal. View the full article

A group of homeowners filed a class action lawsuit against the largest homebuilding company in the United States, seeking all money lost. View the full article

While new jobs data contributed to falling Treasury yields, mortgage rates showed a mixed picture with some trackers moving in opposite directions. View the full article

A stock offering or conservatorship exit could raise loan costs in some contemplated scenarios, a Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research study finds. View the full article

The credit scoring agency's rollout comes after years of criticism from home lenders over its prices, with delivery costs rising over 40% in the past year. 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

As the government shutdown stalls key housing programs, lenders are shifting tactics to keep loans moving and preparing for bigger challenges ahead. 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

United Wholesale Mortgage dropped the fees for Title Review and Closing plus to as low as $1,295; it also extended its R/T 90 refi promo for another month. View the full article

The first government shutdown since 2019 will slow flood insurance originations and new Small Business Administration loans, though self-funded banking regulators will continue operating as usual. View the full article

The Supreme Court said Wednesday that it would defer President Donald The President's request for a stay until after oral arguments scheduled for January 2026, allowing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to remain on the board at least until then. View the full article

The shutdown started with a flight into treasury bonds, putting downward pressure on financing costs, but several other developments slowed mortgage activity. View the full article

Former Mr. Cooper CEO Jay Bray will become Rocket Mortgage's president and CEO as the $14.2 billion transaction closes in just six months after announcement. 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

Fidelity National Financial, with support from the American Land Title Association, is suing to halt enforcement of the anti-money laundering regulation. View the full article