Despite housing market challenges, U.S. state housing finance agencies remain financially sound as mortgage revenue bond issuance, net interest, median ratios, and other factors trend upward.
Read More »Mortgage Fraud Risk Is Lowered by Operational Enhancements, Fitch Reports
Mortgage fraud risk is being lowered by changes in residential origination practices and new regulation, according to a Fitch Ratings report released Tuesday.
Read More »Dodd-Frank Stress Test Process More Important than Results for Banks, Fitch Reports
The 2015 Dodd-Frank Act Stress Test process is viewed as more important than the actual results, in that it guides banks to understand capital and credit risk management within their respective institutions.
Read More »U.S. Housing Demand Shifts to City Centers
As home prices reach a sustainable pace, a demographic shift in demand is moving toward city centers, according to Fitch Rating's second quarter 2015 U.S. Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Sustainable Home Price Report.
Read More »Homebuilders to Benefit From Looser Lending Standards
Loosening credit standards, demographics, pent-up demand, and attractive affordability and housing valuations are on track to promote a healthier housing market for the rest of 2015 in the homebuilding and construction sectors, according to an analysis from Fitch Ratings released Wednesday.
Read More »RoundPoint’s Rating Outlooks Revised from ‘Stable’ to ‘Negative’
Fitch Ratings confirmed that borrower-focused company, RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation's residential mortgage servicer ratings have been adjusted. Fitch determined that RoundPoint's U.S. residential primary servicer rating for subprime product is 'RPS3+' and the U.S. residential special servicer rating is 'RSS3+'. In addition, the rating outlooks have been revised to 'negative' from 'stable.'
Read More »U.S. Prime Jumbo RMBS Issuance on Track to Exceed Post-Crisis Levels
The issuance of new U.S. prime jumbo residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) is set to exceed last year’s levels thanks to a strong second quarter of RMBS issuance, according to Fitch Ratings’ quarterly U.S. Prime Jumbo RMBS Trends report. The Fitch report notes that eight jumbo RMBS deals came to market in second-quarter 2015 from six issuers.
Read More »Fitch Ratings: SHFA MBS Pass-Through Bonds Report Updated
Fitch Ratings has released a sector-specific report for rating state housing finance agency (SHFA) bonds secured, on a pass-through basis, primarily by mortgage-backed securities (MBS) called "State Housing Finance Agencies: MBS Pass-Through Bond Rating Criteria." This report will replace the September 2014 state housing finance agency Fitch rating report.
Read More »RMBS Investors Request Five Servicer Improvements
Years of hardships and constant changes in the mortgage service industry have encouraged RMBS 3.0 investors to voice their requests for servicer improvements, according to Fitch Ratings.
Read More »FHFA’s Conservatorship of GSEs Has No Clear End, Ratings Company Says
Since 2012, all GSE profits have been swept into Treasury. The GSEs each have a capital buffer of $1.8 billion, but it is required to be reduced by $600 million per year until it reaches zero by 2018. The Enterprises would require another draw on Treasury should their losses exceed their capital buffer.
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