Diamond Is Forever?
BLOG VIEW: Many people have criticized the Obama administration for being much too willing to compromise with its Washington opponents. However, the administration...
Attack Of The Attorneys General
REQUIRED READING: Fifty state attorneys general (AGs) have formed a multistate group, and their investigation into mortgage servicing is well under way, attracting...
Rough Seas Ahead: Little Relief Projected For Servicing In 2011
REQUIRED READING: Robo-scandals, government intervention and intensified investor pushback are just a few of the ingredients that combined to rock the servicing industry...
Scott Stern And The Human Side Of Mortgage Banking
PERSON OF THE WEEK: Mortgage banking is not just a collection of products, regulations and sums - it also encompasses a wide number...
2011: The Year We Don’t Achieve GSE Reform?
BLOG VIEW: Next week begins 2011, also known as the year when the Obama administration is supposed to offer a solution for the...
USDA Rural Housing Service: A Quiet Success Story
REQUIRED READING: Within the federal government's array of housing finance programs and products, the Rural Housing Service (RHS), operated by the U.S. Department...
The RMBS Market Remains In Suspended Animation
REQUIRED READING: The 17th century English playwright William Congreves observed, 'Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life.' However, there are many people...
Does Equity-Restoring Loss Mit Stand A Chance?
REQUIRED READING: New home-retention products put forth by both the vendor community and the federal government aim to cure what is perhaps the...
The Wrong Person For The Job
BLOG VIEW: Back in September, I mentioned that I was taking a course to learn how to become an emergency medical technician (EMT)....
Addressing The Challenges Of Community-Based Lenders
WORD ON THE STREET: People are looking for guidance and comfort to navigate through change and a difficult economic climate. To facilitate economic...
The Sum Of All Eviction Fears
BLOG VIEW: While scanning mortgage headlines the other morning, I was stopped in my tracks by one particularly eye-grabbing claim: 'Families Exchange Homes...
Refining Insurance Processes May Pay Dividends
REQUIRED READING: With foreclosures remaining a pressing concern for all financial institutions, mortgage servicers are aggressively seeking new and proactive ways to curb...
Kirchmeyer & Associates CEO: ‘Appraisers Need To Get Back To Basics’
PERSON OF THE WEEK: On the heels of the federal financial regulators' releasing their guidance on sound appraisals, MortgageOrb.com checks in with Jim...
Holiday Gifts For The Mortgage Banking Industry
BLOG VIEW: Yes, it is that time of the year - everyone is running around with gift shopping lists in an advanced state...
A Look At Servicing Incentives
WORD ON THE STREET: The weaknesses that have been identified in mortgage servicing practices during the mortgage crisis are a by-product of both...
Get Your Marketing Mojo Revved Up For Action
REQUIRED READING: Although advertising is an important component of a firm's marketing mix, it does not define it. This misconception is rooted in...
The Good, The Bad And The Fuzzy: Where AVMs Succeed And Fail
REQUIRED READING: The state of the housing market and the wavering state of the economy, along with tighter new regulations, have left banks...
The Return Of Mortgage Fraud: Preparing For The Next Wave
REQUIRED READING: Creative financing, relaxed underwriting guidelines, layered-risk loan programs and an emphasis on speedy decisioning during the real estate boom created an...
Tweet Me! Friend Me! Buzz Me! Digg Me!
BLOG VIEW: If you follow Sen. Chris Dodd's Twitter feed, you might have done a double take at a Nov. 18 tweet that...
How The Dodd-Frank Act Will Bring New Stability
WORD ON THE STREET: With the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, it is extremely important that all of us take the time to...