Headlines

On Wednesday, March 29th, the National Association of Realtor (NAR) will be releasing its latest Pending Home Sales Index. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for NAR, stated that a decline in contract signings during December 2016 indicated that activity will likely be “choppy in coming months,” as buyers struggle to find the perfect home in their price range. Also, read the full lineup of industry reports that will be releasing this week.

The Valuation Visionary award recognizes a standout collateral valuation professional every year who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation and professionalism. Winners are nominated by their peers within the Collateral Risk Network. The recipient will be awarded at the Valuation Expo East on March 20, 2017, in Orlando, Florida.

The company has also increased the size of the Board from eight members to nine after the appointment of the newest Board member. Ronald J. Korn, a Director at Ocwen, has informed the Board that he will retire from the Director position this May. Upon Korn’s resignation, the size of the Board will be reduced from nine members to eight.

With proposals to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac popping up as part of an overall housing makeover, government and industry officials weigh the risks and rewards of various plans carefully since few are calling for wholesale reform. This select print feature originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of MReport magazine.

Foreclosures, loan modifications, and forfeitures have been on a decline for a couple years, according to a report form the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The amount of completed foreclosures dropped from 2 years ago by almost 19,000, while deed-in-lieu-of-foreclosure actions have dropped from 1.2 thousand to 0.8 thousand, Home forfeiture actions in total decreased by 32.3 percent year-over-year.

The two transactions will retain risk for the first 50 basis points of loss on an $18.1 billion loan pool and a $2.3 billion loan pool. The loan pools covered consist of 30-year fixed-rate loans with loan-to-value ratios greater than 60-percent and less than or equal to 80 percent, all acquired by Fannie Mae from January 2016 through July 2016.

What should be done in the case that a lender fails to name a spouse in its lawsuit, or fails to name a condominium and homeowners association fee? What parties should be names in a lawsuit? These questions and more were answered in the Legal League 100 webinar.

The increase in new home sales could be due to the warm winter which allowed construction to stay on schedule, last year’s strong home construction starts, and a gradual shift from building apartments to individual homes. However, Kirchner says that while construction is up overall, existing home sales are falling.

While other cities experience shifts from rental to homeownership in the face of high rent costs, Detroit has reached a higher percentage of renters compared to homeowners. This could cause city official to re-evaluate how to ensure stability.

Buying a home in today’s competitive market is stressful, according to 72 percent of participants in a recent survey. Fears include losing earnest money, not finding a home in their budget range, and becoming involved in a bidding war. Prospective homeowners said they spend 1 - 3 hours a day in their search.