Clearer monthly mortgage statements, warnings before interest rates adjust, quick correction of errors ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô these are among the proposed rules for mortgage servicers from the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau. The ratings agency stated one key change with the proposed CFPB rules is that it applies to banks and nonbanks of all sizes and types, and for smaller institutions, the impact of compliance costs is believed be even greater compared to the largest banks.

FHFA issued a notice Wednesday to warn of the controversial use of eminent domain recently proposed in San Bernardino County. California officials are considering the use of eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages. The mortgages would be taken at fair market value, and then restructured into new loans with terms reflecting the current market. Chicago and Berkeley are also exploring the proposed use of eminent domain. FHFA said that in relation to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the use of an eminent domain program could result in a cost to taxpayers.

Compared to the two-year high for new home sales in May, June's figures were met with disappointment. On Wednesday, the Census Bureau reported new home sales dropped 8.4 percent month-over-month to 350,000 in June compared to an upwardly revised 382,000 for May. In an IHS Global Insight commentary, economists Patrick Newport and Michele Valverde pointed out that figures for March, April, and May were all revised up, and that sales were up in the Midwest and West, but down in the Northeast and South.

For the first time since 2007, home values saw a year-over-year gain in the second quarter of 2012, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. The index showed homes increased in value by 0.2 percent to $149,300 from last year├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós second quarter. Additionally, values have increased for the fourth month in a row. Out of 167 metros covered by Zillow, 53 posted increases from the second quarter of 2011 to the same quarter this year. Values in Phoenix rose by 12.1 percent, the highest among other metros during the same time period.

Improvements in mortgage banking and credit quality helped Wells Fargo see income gains for the second quarter of 2012. On Friday, Wells Fargo reported a net income of $4.6 billion, or $0.82 per share. The reported earnings for the most recent quarter was an 18 percent increase from the same quarter a year ago, when net income was $3.9 billion, or $0.70 per share. Net income for the most recent quarter was also up from the previous quarter when net income was $4.2 billion, or $0.75 per share.

San Francisco, San Jose, and Las Vegas metro areas were named as the top markets for sellers, while Chicago, Milwaukee, and Cleveland were categorized as markets where buyers have more power, according to a report released from Zillow Tuesday. In the top seller├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós markets, price cuts are uncommon and homes often sell for at or near their asking price. Sellers' markets were not necessarily ones where home values are rising, but places sellers are more likely to sell their home for close to asking price and where listings spend less time on the market.

National home prices saw both quarterly and yearly gains in June, and all four regions across the U.S. posted quarterly increases, according to the Home Data Index (HDI) released by Clear Capital Tuesday. Home prices rose by 1.7 percent in June from the previous quarter and a year ago, and growth is expected to continue into the second half of the year at a rate of 2.5 percent, Clear Capital reported. Out of all four regions, the West saw the greatest quarterly increase at 3.5 percent, followed by the Midwest (1.2 percent), the South (1.5 percent), and the Northeast (0.8 percent).

The CFPB has officially proposed mortgage disclosure forms designed to enhance understanding. The forms are a result of research, testing, writing, and review and are being created to help consumers comprehend the terms of their mortgage and the costs involved. The proposed forms are part of the agency's Know Before You Owe project and are to be provided after applying for a loan and before closing."When making what is likely the biggest purchase of their life, consumers should be looking at paperwork that clearly lays out the terms of the deal," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray.

Releasing data from May, the Obama administration's Housing Scorecard once again pointed to both signs of promise and reasons for concern

Fitch Ratings released a note Thursday stating that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ót be slowing down on repurchase requests and focus seems to be shifting from the largest institutions to midtier regional banks. If this does happen, the rating agency said those banks will start to feel the pressure for claims-related earnings. Fitch said recent announcements from PNC, Suntrust, and First Horizon expressed an intent to increase reserves against future repurchase claims, which suggests Fannie and Freddie may be eying regional institutions.