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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a strong supporter in the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents. Recently reviewing the updated mortgage disclosure forms produced by the CFPB, the NAEBA responded to the organization with a letter of commendation. Though citing the CFPB's thorough assessment of borrowers' needs within the project, the NAEBA also submitted some suggestions based on its evaluation of the mortgage disclosure initiative, which is part of the "Know Before You Owe" program.

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced a new game plan when it comes to targeting companies and individuals under fire for allegations stemming from the mortgage meltdown. The SEC will now update enforcement procedures; moving away from difficult to prove filings that are geared to prove purposeful wrongdoing, recklessness, or fraud, the SEC will reduce its burden with civil cases that require only proof of negligence. The SEC has utilized similar tactics as as supplement to more intensive accusations.

Mortgage rates again smashed records Thursday by falling to new lows as investors continued to flee Europe, buying up safer U.S. Treasury debt, keeping interest rates low, and setting up all-time highs for housing affordability. Finance Web site Bankrate.com differed by posting slight upticks for the benchmark 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. According to the GSE, rates for the 30-year loan collapsed to 4.01 percent, while Bankrate.com duly noted a rise in interest rates for the 30-year loan to 4.30 percent.

Alongside somewhat stable home prices, pending-home sales slid back over August with a few regions inching up over others, according to an index recently compiled by the National Association of Realtors. Even so, the numbers reflect a better balance sheet for lenders and sellers, who bore the brunt of sales much worse for the wear over the same period last year. The trade group found the numbers for pending-home sales plunging by 1.2 percent to hit 88.6 percent in August, down from 89.7 percent over the month before.

New regulations targeting capital requirements are challenging big banks in the U.S. and abroad. While large American financial institutions have been grappling with more strenuous capital rules since the Dodd-Frank Act was released, European banks are set to experience similar adaptations with the news that The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision chose to ignore stringent lobbying, in favor of mandating extended capital funding for mega banks. The committee moved forward with capital surcharges from 1 to 2.5 percent for the biggest banks worldwide.

Standard & Poor's is coming under heavy scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission for it alleged misconduct in handling valuations for a $1.6 billion mortgage-bond deal. Regulators for the SEC are focusing on the company's possible exploitation of fictitious assets when rating the transaction in question. The bond deal became a debacle during the financial crisis, and this week, S&P's parent company, McGraw-Hill Cos., received notice from the SEC that it could be facing civil charges related to its potentially fraudulent actions.

The specialized lending arm of Prudential Mortgage Capital Company, which targets Federal Housing Administration-based loans, recently announced the closing of a $77.2 million deal on the FHA's behalf. Prudential Huntoon Paige (PHP), the official moniker of Prudential├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós FHA-focused division, purchased the loan to refinance a multi-family development in Upland, California.

The weekly mortgage applications numbers are in, and current data shows an increase nationally. The Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ended September 23 demonstrated a 9.3 percent rise in mortgage loan application volume on a seasonally-adjusted basis, according to the Market Composite Index contained within the report. The Purchase Index rose 2.6 percent this week on a seasonally-adjusted basis and showed a 0.1 percent hike year-over-year.

Standard & Poor's most recent data on home pricing indicates rising numbers over four consecutive months, according to the company's S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices.

Florida Realtors has announced the hiring of a new chief economist, with the addition of Dr. John Tuccillo, who is a former chief economist for the National Association of Realtors.