Ravalli County Appraiser - residential appraisals - Hamilton, MT

Fannie, Freddie Talk Valuations and Expedited Short Sales

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

With short sales continuing to represent a substantial portion of the real estate market, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have implemented policies to expedite short sales and reviewed how appraisals factor into its process, the National Association of Realtors reported May 15...Read More

Officials Investigate Errors in Foreclosure Settlement Payments

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

Lawmakers and bank regulators reportedly are scrutinizing actions taken by Rust Consulting, the firm hired to distribute $3.6 billion to homeowners entitled to compensation from a foreclosure settlement the government reached with the nation’s top banks, to see how erroneous checks were mailed, The Wall Street Journal reported May 15...Read More

Fed Housing Market Support Challenged

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker, who has long opposed the Fed’s purchase of mortgage-backed securities, said that improved housing performance is reason for the Fed to stop providing aid to the U.S housing market, Reuters reported May 15....Read More

DeMarco: FHLBanks Need Larger Role in Housing Reform

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, said that any discussion of housing reform needs to focus more on the role of Federal Home Loan Banks and how they fit into the future of housing finance, HousingWire reported May 14. DeMarco noted that FHLBanks provide critical secondary market services to their members like bu...Read More

Freddie Mac: Streamlined Modification Now Available

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

Freddie Mac announced May 13 that its new Streamlined Modification program will be available immediately to all eligible borrowers, such as Hurricane Sandy victims, and should expedite financial relief for thousands of distressed families nationwide. The program originally had been scheduled to begin July 1....Read More

Ohio Supreme Court Ruling Favors Servicers

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled May 14 that servicing a residential mortgage does not constitute a “consumer transaction” as defined by state law, Mortgage Daily reported. Consumer groups argued that the ruling removes protections for borrowers trying to save their homes from foreclosure....Read More

Survey: Growth in Hotel Sector Expected to Continue

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

Industry experts believe hotel property value growth and increasingly favorable debt terms will continue over the next 12 months, according to a recent survey conducted by the Lodging Industry Investment Council, MBA NewsLink reported May 16. The survey of LIIC’s members revealed that 98 percent of respondents believe that hotel real estate values ...Read More

Housing Affordability Remains Strong in First Quarter

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

The nation’s housing affordability remained strong during the first quarter, with 73.7 percent of homes sold from January through March reported as being affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $64,400 — a slight dip from 74.9 percent reported the previous quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo ...Read More

Hedge Funds Bank on Fannie and Freddie Profitability

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

A handful of hedge funds that have bought preferred shares in government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are hoping for big payouts as the two firms return to profitability, The Wall Street Journal reported May 14...Read More

Mortgage Lenders Relaxing Constraints

5/22/2013 7:00 PM

Ellie Mae operational data released May 15 revealed that mortgage firms have been easing up on lending standards for the past 12 months, and average credit score requirements have decreased nine points on government-insured refinances, Mortgage Daily reported....Read More