Mortgage

Las Vegas, NV - May 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As the inventory of Nevada short sale homes continues to increase, we are seeing, over and over again, agents who are not counseling their clients when submitting an offer on a short sale. Here is a quick list of questions you should ask your buyers before showing them short sale listings to ensure that a short sale will work for them.

May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis, a 50-year-old Fridley man was sentenced for defrauding eight mortgage lenders of $1.9 million. United States District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Taleb Mohamed Wazwaz to 24 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud through the use of interstate wires. Wazwaz was charged via an information on April 19, 2010, and pleaded guilty on May 4, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae today announced the opening of the Philadelphia Mortgage Help Center to provide free education and counseling services to struggling Philadelphia area homeowners. The Philadelphia, the latest of nine Mortgage Help Centers to open across the country, is part of Fannie Mae's nationwide initiative to educate families about the options and tools available to help them stay in their homes.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- HOPE NOW, the voluntary, private sector alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers and non-profit counselors, released its March 2011 loan modification data, which shows that an estimated 210,000 homeowners received permanent, proprietary loan modifications from mortgage servicers for the first quarter of 2011. This estimate does not include loan modifications through Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), and industry totals will be updated once official government reports are published.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications increased 4.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 29, 2011.

Las Vegas, NV - May 4, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Myers Team officially announced the addition of Lois Lee Greer to their team of Nevada Short Sale Experts. Ms. Greer was named a "Nevada Short Sale Specialist" by Francoise Myers, owner of The Myers Team.

WASHINGTON, DC - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), along with Reps. Tim Walz (MN-1) and Gary Peters (MI-9), introduced legislation to eliminate taxpayer subsidies for yachts. The Ending Taxpayer Subsidies for Yachts Act will amend a tax provision that allows boat owners to write off their mortgage interest payments if they classify their boats as second homes.

Las Vegas, NV - May 3, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Myers Team is nationally recognized as one of the most influential figures in real estate today. In 2010, Bill and Francoise Myers, owners of The Myers Team, successfully sold more short sale listings than any Realtor or Broker in Nevada.

ST. LOUIS, MO - May 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The United States Attorney’s Office announced the guilty pleas of Joshua Gould, a former financial representative with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. and affiliate of Spetner Associates; and David Rubin, employee and operator of two local offices of Coral Mortgage Bankers Corporation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- David H. Stevens, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), today announced the appointment of Marcia M. Davies as his Chief of Staff, effective immediately.

Atlanta, GA - May 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- As a result of TPG Capital’s purchase of MDA DataQuick, MDA Lending Solutions and MDA MindBox in January, the three companies will integrate their operations effective May 2, 2011. The combined company, which will operate under the name DataQuick®, will deliver advanced real estate information solutions powered by higher quality data, analytics and advanced decisioning.

Las Vegas, NV - May 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Before you hand over your hard earned dollars to a Nevada Real Estate Attorney, consider the following; will the attorney guarantee their services and pay you a full refund if they fail to perform? If you meet with an attorney who won’t agree to refund your money should they fail to get your short sale approved, GET UP AND LEAVE!

New York, NY - May 2, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- “Thank you. As the new president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, it is my pleasure to welcome you to our 'National Secondary Market Conference.' Looking out over the audience, I recognize so many of you, and I cannot think of a better way to start my job at MBA than being here with you. I look forward to seeing you over the next several days and am interested in hearing your thoughts about the challenges we face. And, I want to publicly acknowledge our Chairman, Michael Berman. His leadership and passion have made such a difference. He has been working tirelessly traveling across the country to ensure the messages of this industry’s key issues are heard.

RESTON, VA - April 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- MERSCORP, Inc. today announced the appointment of mortgage industry veteran Bill Beckmann as president and chief executive officer of MERSCORP, Inc., and the Reston-based company’s subsidiary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.

CHICAGO, IL - April 29, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- This Saturday, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) will host a Housing Information Fair for constituents to answer questions and assist local families with housing issues including loan modifications, mortgage fraud, and the foreclosure process

April 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Darryl C. Towns was officially named Commissioner/CEO of NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) as his selection was approved by the boards of the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) and the Housing Finance Agency (HFA).

New York, NY - April 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Access to conventional refinance loans in New York City sharply declined in communities of color between 2008 and 2009, at the same time that it significantly increased in predominantly white neighborhoods, according to a report released today by NEDAP and six partner organizations across the U.S.

April 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis, a former loan officer for Wells Fargo Bank pleaded guilty to participating in a $4.3 million mortgage fraud scheme. Larry Gene Hillard, age 56, of Maple Grove, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hillard, who was charged on March 10, 2011, entered his plea before United States District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery.

San Francisco, CA - April 28, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Access to mortgage refinance loans sharply declined in communities of color – and increased substantially in predominantly white neighborhoods, according to a report released today by a multistate coalition of groups.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - April 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida CFO Jeff Atwater today announced the arrest of Jose Claudio Pereira, owner of BR Mortgage Group Corporation, on charges of racketeering for his part in fraudulent mortgage transactions in Broward, St. Lucie and Brevard counties.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mortgage applications decreased 5.6 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 22, 2011. There was no adjustment made for Good Friday.

SAN DIEGO, CA - April 27, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Real Estate Mortgage Network, Inc. (REMN), a national mortgage lender based in River Edge, N.J., continues their west coast expansion with the opening of a new office in San Diego, CA, and the addition of three new team members. Located in the city of Carlsbad, the new office will better help REMN service the needs of southern California’s future and existing home owners, real estate professionals and residential builders.

OLYMPIA, WA - April 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) is pleased to announce the five-year extension of the Mortgage Fraud Prosecution fund with the Governor’s signature earlier this week of HB1191, signing it into Chapter 129, Laws of 2011 62nd Legislature 2011 Regular Session

WASHINGTON, DC - April 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Potential homeowners who participate in prepurchase education and counseling programs may be more likely to pay their mortgages on time, although the evidence on this point is not consistent and compelling, according to a study released today by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The study also finds that those who participate in default counseling are more likely to have their loans modified.

LANSING, MI - April 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced today that he is working with Oakland County Register of Deeds Bill Bullard, and other local and federal authorities, to look into questionable mortgage documentation filed with Michigan's Register of Deeds offices during the current foreclosure crisis.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- Commercial and multifamily mortgage origination volumes increased 44 percent in 2010 over the previous year, with mortgage bankers reporting $118.8 billion of closed commercial and multifamily loans, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's 2010 Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance: Annual Origination Volume Summation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- On April 22, 2011, an administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission mailed 3,162 refund checks to borrowers allegedly harmed by Golden Empire Mortgage, Inc. and Howard D. Kootstra. The refund checks stem from a lawsuit the FTC filed against Golden Empire and Kootstra, alleging that they illegally charged Hispanic consumers higher prices for mortgage loans than non-Hispanic white consumers – price disparities that could not be explained by the applicants’ credit characteristics or underwriting risk.

Washington, DC - April 26, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency today reported that the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders, used as an index in some ARM contracts, was 4.84 percent based on loans closed in March. This is an increase of 0.05 percent from the previous month.

New York, NY - April 25, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- In the last 8 years single women buying homes has raised 50%. They now account for 22% of all home sales, an estimated 1.5 million home sales. Single women consists of women of all ages and walks of life including age ranges of 20's through seniors, divorced women, single moms, & childless women.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 22, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Las Vegas man was arrested yesterday on charges that he defrauded distressed homeowners in Las Vegas who were attempting to refinance or adjust their home mortgages, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.