Tag Archives: Attorneys & Title Companies

The American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA) has added a new member, with the incorporation of Equi-Trax Asset Solutions LP. Equi-Trax, a provider of borrower outreach programming and portfolio analytics, was recently accepted into the ACUMA, as part of the organization's continuing efforts to enhance its consumer assistance platforms.

Two cases from New York resonated with the mortgage fraud blotter Wednesday, with news sources reporting indictments against six people accused of raking in some $25 million in mortgage fraud and a reduced prison sentence for a money launderer previously convicted for stripping $98 million from lenders. A statement by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Reuters story contributed to the round of news for the MReport blotter. Left unclear: the amount of ruin for lenders and homeowners.

In yet another blow to major mortgage lenders, two brokers unveiled suits Monday against a string of companies alleging the defendants bilked veterans out of millions by hiding illegal fees under other charges for their refinance loans. Quickly emerging as a hot-button topic inside the Beltway, with some pointing fingers at federal agencies, the suit joins a pack of other litigation on the way for big banks. The matter involves the Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loans program for veterans.

Lender Processing Services Inc. has appointed a new president and CEO, with the hiring of Hugh R. Harris. Harris' role begins immediately, effective October 5, and he will also join the company's board of directors.

A former mortgage banking executive is moving on to the lucrative realm of technology based real estate initiatives. Elizabeth O'Brien, previously a director for Citigroup, Inc., was recently announced as the managing director and senior vice president of Auction.

Real estate investment trusts are making headlines again, on the news that the Federal Reserve will continue to drive long-term interest rates even lower. High yielding REIT stocks have dropped accordingly, and the REIT market, which thrives on borrowing at lower rates and lending in the mortgage marketplace at higher rates via the purchase of mortgage-backed securities, has struggled. Many industry analysts note that the segment's avoidance of any default risk should offset the instability caused by interest rate fluctuation.

The multifamily division of Prudential Mortgage Capital Company has a new addition to its team of originators, with the hiring of Kip Kimble. Prudential Mortgage, which functions as the commercial mortgage lending division of Prudential Financial, Inc., will install Kimble in its newly opened Boston, Massachusetts office.

Expanding its mortgage services, PHH Mortgage Corporation has announced the addition of five private clients, and the new financial institutions will gain access to the company's mortgage offerings through its Private Label Solutions division. PHH Mortgage, a subsidiary of PHH Corporation, will now provide end-to-end mortgage processing management to the PLS participants.

Making good on promises by policymakers from both parties, Congress allowed the $729,750 threshold for conforming loans with federal guarantees to expire Saturday, pinching high-end borrowers in a marginal number of counties and potentially leaving a swath of new market share for private bankers. Homebuyers looking for more than $625,000 in financing for their mortgage loans will accordingly fall short of eligibility requirements needed for federal insurance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development recently announced a new pilot program targeting reduced regulatory burdens for those developing affordable housing. In conjunction co-creators of the project, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the initiative focuses on helping developers and individual owners, in addition to easing the way for state and federal agencies to serve low-income renters. The USDA-RD and HUD have approved a first draft of a Memorandum of Understanding.