After peaking at $1.2 trillion in the third quarter of 2003, mortgage originations cratered to $297.16 billion in the third quarter of 2008, and have sputtered along the bottom since.

HWfocus Origination gathers perspectives from lenders, venders and servicers to see what lies ahead for home loan underwriting.

In this issue:

• FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT: In 1990, lenders originated $458 billion worth of mortgages. In the final three months of 2010, banks wrote about $500 billion worth of home loans. What once took a year, now takes a quarter.
• LONG ROAD AHEAD: Cloudy regulation hinders a return to stability in the housing economy.
• REVERSING COURSE: The biggest banks in mortgage underwriting stopped extended reverse mortgages to homeowners at least 62 years old, as other issues take precedence.

Download as PDF (5.2 MB)

Life has been interesting, even a bit dramatic, for those of us working in the REO space. Everyone involved with REO — from the servicers to the real estate brokers and vendors — will be involved in significant REO disposition efforts over the next three to four years.

HousingWire Focus REO Management, will give you the tools you need to succeed in this challenging environment.

In this issue:

• FREDDIE’S REO SHIFT: The GSE sets out to change its REO operations in 2011.
• TO KEEP OR NOT TO KEEP: The Housing and Urban Development Department to give guidance on personal property evictions.
• RENTING BACK REO: The government-sponsored enterprises and cities are tackling foreclosure blight with REO rental programs — and bulldozers.

Download as PDF (9.6MB)

Private-label securitization will come back as housing finance looks for ways to change the way mortgages are funded. Although a short-term solution doesn’t seem likely to materialize, substantial talks to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now under way.

In this issue, we take a look at the major challenges facing the securitization markets, including regulatory reform, risk-based capital requirements, loan servicing and government-sponsored housing reform.

In this issue:

• REDUCING CRA RELIANCE: We take a look at reducing the reliance on credit rating agencies. Going forward, investor due diligence will take on a larger role in managing securities portfolios.
• TRANSITION RATES FOR RMBS: Examining the rate at which loans move from one payment category to another — from current to 30 days delinquent, for example — can provide clues to the likelihood of future defaults.
• APPRAISAL SCRUTINY IN STORE: Accurate valuation of the securing assets is key to restoring confidence in investor markets.

Download as PDF (4.5MB)

Among other issues, you’ll learn about code enforcement issues and what leading servicers are doing to partner with communities, as well as the challenges that lay ahead to revitalize some of the hardest-hit communities in the wake of the first wave of a historic housing crisis.

In this issue:

• CITY AND MUNICIPAL PARTNERSHIPS: See how leading lenders and servicers are working with local communities to help ensure neighborhood stability
• WHEN TO REPAIR AND RENOVATE: Mortgage investors face tough decisions when a property is in disrepair: invest in repairs before the sale, or find another investor willing to take on the work themselves? Learn best practices and strategies for success here.
• DIRECTORY OF PRESERVATION PROVIDERS: Find out which firms can maintain, repair, and preserve properties—regionally and nationally.

Download as PDF (3.4 MB)

This special issue of HW Focus will take a look at how technology is changing the way we do business, and what lies ahead as new solutions are set to forever change how loans are made, serviced, and packaged and sold on secondary markets.

In this issue:

• CLOUD COMPUTING: ‘The cloud’ is changing how businesses see their IT investments, and how information is shared.
• MOBILE SOLUTIONS: Technology is always on the move, and new solutions are emerging to help connect the back-office to the front-lines.
• DIRECTORY OF TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PROVIDERS: Learn which companies are setting the pace for innovation in mortgage technology

Download as PDF (6.2 MB)

Among other issues, you’ll learn about code enforcement issues and what leading servicers are doing to partner with communities, as well as the challenges that lay ahead to revitalize some of the hardest-hit communities in the wake of the first wave of a historic housing crisis.

In this issue:

• A VALUATIONS PRIMER: Get inside appraisals, BPOs, and AVMs, and learn the ins and outs of each valuation technique
• PERSPECTIVES: Hear what industry experts have to say about key issues in valuing real estate, including experts from First American CoreLogic, the Appraisal Institute, the Title/Appraisal Vendor Management Association, Axios Valuations, Pro Teck, and many, many more.
• DIRECTORY OF SERVICES: Find out which firms offer what services; property valuations can be a complex maze of services, and we’ve worked to simplify things so you can see exactly who does what.

Download as PDF (4.1 MB)