Daily Dose

Fitch Ratings confirmed that borrower-focused company, RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation's residential mortgage servicer ratings have been adjusted. Fitch determined that RoundPoint's U.S. residential primary servicer rating for subprime product is 'RPS3+' and the U.S. residential special servicer rating is 'RSS3+'. In addition, the rating outlooks have been revised to 'negative' from 'stable.'

While there has been a massive amount of conversation about the future roles of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the conversation often fails to address what these GSEs' government mortgage programs do for the mortgage market. Urban Institute recently released a report, identifying how programs like the Federal Housing Administration, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, and the Government National Mortgage Association impact the mortgage market.

Consumers that are looking to purchase a home must consider the varying mortgage rates and home prices in different states. GOBankingRates recently released a report, ranking all the states according to where it's easiest and cheapest to get a mortgage. The company reviewed all 50 states based on the local rates offered on 15-and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the first quarter of 2015, weighted with the average home listing price in the state.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has finally set an official effective date for the Know Before You Owe mortgage disclosure rule, also called the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures rule, after much debate and numerous industry requests to delay the rule. The CFPB issued a final rule moving the effective date to Saturday, October 3, 2015 on Tuesday.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015 marks the fifth anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. As Dodd-Frank turns five, congress members and industry leaders examine just how effective the reform act has been within the government agencies to which it was applied.

JPMorgan Chase & Co agreed to pay $388 million to resolve a lawsuit by investors who claimed that the U.S. bank provided misleading information about the safety of $10 billion worth of residential mortgage-backed securities it sold before the financial crisis, according to multiple media reports.

The first-time buyer share in April, May, and June was launched to new highs, supported by improvements in the labor market, riskier mortgage lending, and continuing low mortgage rates. The American Enterprise Institute International Center on Housing Risk recently released a report, finding that first-time buyers account for 58.8 percent of primary owner-occupied home purchase mortgages with a government guarantee. In addition, AEI determined that the Agency First-Time Buyer Mortgage Risk Index stood at a series record of 15.83 percent

When purchasing a home, consumers often analyze the home further than just the outward appearance. WalletHub released a report on Monday, reviewing the level of attractiveness for cities all over the U.S. to determine how attractive a home is to first-time homebuyers. The report found that Overland Park, Kansas is the best city for first-time buyers, while Compton, California was labeled as the worst city for first-time buyers.

Commentary is an ongoing series on theMReport.com that focuses on opinions, ideas, and insights from experts across mortgage banking. This advisory piece features Melissa Kozicki, director of compliance for the Mortgage Builder Division of Altisource, discussing the upcoming implementation of the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule, and how mortgage bankers must put a plan in place to manage vendor liability and risk within the context of the new rule.

Net revenues for Morgan Stanley reached $9.7 billion for the second quarter ending June 30, 2015, compared with $9.9 billion in the first quarter of 2015, and $8.6 billion a year ago, according to the company’s second quarter earnings statement released Monday.