Headlines

The Securities and Exchange Commission is shifting its focus toward greater transparency amid the rapid and significant technological innovations going on in our financial markets, while maintaining and instilling greater accountability.

Just one day after FHFA Director Mel Watt stated during an address in Washington, D.C. that risks facing the Agency (namely the GSEs’ declining capital buffer) are “certain to escalate” the longer the conservatorships of the GSEs continue, Fannie Mae reported an annual net income of $11.0 billion for 2015—a decline of 23 percent from the previous year’s net income of $14.2 billion.

Ten-X (formerly Auction.com), an online marketplace for real estate, recently announced that it has formed a partnership with Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute.

DocMagic, Inc., a provider of fully-compliant loan document preparation, compliance, eSign, and eDelivery solutions, recently announced the development of a set of new reps and warrants for its calculations, documents, and data.

The competition is on. First-time homebuyers in need of financing methods are losing out on homes that are being swiped from them by cash investors.

Slower growth in the housing market, including modest home price increases and falling interest rates, are diminishing the affordability issue it the U.S.

The ability of the GSEs to remain profitable has been questioned by lawmakers and other stakeholders, but Freddie Mac answered the question Thursday with its fourth quarter and full-year earnings—at least for now.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been under conservatorship for almost eight years following a massive taxpayer-funded bailout. While many in the industry have called for a GSE reform on numerous occasions over the years, the future of the conservatorship remains uncertain.

While homeownership sits at a stagnant level, rental markets remain healthy. See which markets RentRange says are ripe for SFR investors.

Five Star Institute President and CEO Ed Delgado recently met with HUD Secretary Julián Castro to ask the Secretary to consider issuing a mortgagee letter to set the definition and criteria for identifying vacant and abandoned properties.