#illegal-interest-calculation

[ follow ]
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
8 hours ago

Portable credit reports could lower costs, but fraud worries persist

Consumer-controlled portable credit reports could reduce costs and repeat pulls, but may increase fraud risk according to credit reporting advocates.
#mortgage-industry
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago
Real estate

Reverse mortgage brokers say lender contracts help with limits

Programs are evolving to enhance broker-lender relationships and prevent borrower churning in the mortgage industry.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

Reverse mortgage brokers say lender contracts help with limits

Programs are evolving to enhance broker-lender relationships and prevent borrower churning in the mortgage industry.
#occ
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
10 hours ago

OCC consent order targets VA refis at Federal Savings Bank

The OCC mandates banks to correct practices involving misleading fees and terms in loan advertisements.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
10 hours ago

OCC consent order targets VA refis at Federal Savings Bank

The OCC mandates banks to correct practices involving misleading fees and terms in loan advertisements.
fromFortune
3 days ago

Debt management plan vs. debt relief | Fortune

A debt management plan (DMP) is a way to combine your unsecured debts into a more manageable single monthly bill. You'll typically get reduced interest rates compared to what you're currently paying thanks to negotiation by the agency you're working with.
Bootstrapping
from24/7 Wall St.
4 days ago

I've Always Paid with a Debit Card, But Is a Credit Card Better?

Using a credit card can help build better credit, earn rewards like frequent flyer miles, and take advantage of other benefits that debit cards do not offer.
Cryptocurrency
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 day ago

IMB profits per loan rise in 2025 but remain below historic norms

Profitability improved in 2025 despite rising origination costs and compressed production margins, highlighting the importance of servicing income for lenders.
SF real estate
from24/7 Wall St.
1 week ago

Dave Ramsey Warns Homebuyer Her $750,000 Is at Risk of Foreclosure Over a Mortgage Clause She Never Saw

A buyer can face foreclosure risks if a mortgage clause is overlooked during a property purchase.
fromQNS
2 days ago

Corona woman pleads guilty to defrauding elderly Long Island couple out of nearly $10 million: Feds - QNS

"Today's plea means the defendant has been held accountable for a calculated scheme that siphoned off nearly $10 million from the very employers who trusted her."
Law
Podcast
from24/7 Wall St.
1 week ago

Clark Howard Says Banks Are Benign Drug Dealers, Here Is What He Really Means

Pay in 4 programs are designed to encourage spending by separating payment from purchase, making it easier to accumulate debt.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 days ago

Mortgage applications up 1.8% as refinance jumps 5%

Mortgage rates declined to 6.42%, supporting an increase in refinance applications despite subdued purchase activity due to economic uncertainty.
Bootstrapping
fromIndependent
1 week ago

How to avoid the moneylender pitfalls catching out vulnerable borrowers in Ireland

Short-term loans offer quick cash but often come with hidden costs due to confusing interest rates.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 days ago

The rise of HELOCs: What it means for originators in today's market

Homeowners are increasingly using HELOCs to access cash while retaining low mortgage rates, creating opportunities for originators.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

The great care home cash grab: how private equity turned vulnerable elderly people into human ATMs

Kilgour arranged a bank loan and in June 1989 he launched Four Seasons Health Care, taking the name from a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan where he had once dined.
London politics
#mortgage-underwriting
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago
Real estate

Verification first: Why mortgage lending must rethink income and how it actually works

Mortgage underwriting needs to evolve from document-driven methods to assessing income behavior for better risk evaluation.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago
Real estate

Verification is the new credit score

The mortgage industry's core challenge is data confidence and reconciliation across multiple independent systems, not processing speed, as traditional credit scores cannot validate the consistency and reliability of increasingly complex data sources.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

Verification first: Why mortgage lending must rethink income and how it actually works

Mortgage underwriting needs to evolve from document-driven methods to assessing income behavior for better risk evaluation.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Verification is the new credit score

The mortgage industry's core challenge is data confidence and reconciliation across multiple independent systems, not processing speed, as traditional credit scores cannot validate the consistency and reliability of increasingly complex data sources.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 week ago

ICE Mortgage Monitor shows serious delinquencies up 25%

Serious borrower distress is increasing, with 878,000 loans either 90-plus days past due or in foreclosure, marking the highest level since mid-2018.
Higher education
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago

Millions of student-loan borrowers should double-check their bill amounts, watchdog says

Federal student-loan servicers lack oversight after staffing cuts eliminated monitoring of call quality and billing accuracy, risking borrower harm during major repayment system changes.
Miscellaneous
fromSlate Magazine
1 month ago

This 'Money-Saving Perk' Sounds Too Good to Be True. It's a Scam, Right?

Cash-back rewards are funded by interchange fees that merchants pay, ultimately passed to consumers through higher prices or reduced business options.
Real estate
fromIndependent
2 weeks ago

Your money questions: Is it possible to switch my mortgage from the bank to a local credit union?

Switching mortgages to credit unions is increasingly common as members seek local financial management and competitive interest rates.
Bootstrapping
fromEntrepreneur
1 month ago

Before You Click "Get Paid Now," Read the Fine Print

In-app factoring disguises high-cost financing as operational convenience, charging escalating daily fees that can exceed 40% annualized rates when customers pay late, significantly eroding business revenue.
Online marketing
fromSocial Media Explorer
1 month ago

Balancing Credit Building with Credit Caution - Social Media Explorer

Build credit steadily and intentionally through consistent, responsible use rather than aggressive account opening, as time and payment history matter more than rapid activity.
fromwww.independent.co.uk
1 month ago

What changes are coming to credit score files and what does it mean for you?

Your credit file (or credit report) is a detailed, six-year history of your borrowing, repayment behaviour, and financial public records. It includes payments for credit cards, loans, mortgages, mobile contracts, and utilities. Lenders check credit files to decide whether to approve applications and what interest rate to offer.
EU data protection
fromwww.housingwire.com
3 weeks ago

Hawley probes FICO mortgage credit score pricing

An 88% operating margin and a compound annual growth rate of 100% in per-score pricing over five years are not hallmarks of a competitive market.
Real estate
Cars
frominsideevs.com
1 month ago

Car Debt Is Crushing American Buyers

Nearly 30% of car buyers with trade-ins have negative equity averaging $7,214 underwater in Q4 2025, an all-time record driven by consumer demand for expensive vehicles and industry practices.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

West Capital sues loanDepot over TILA pay violations

loanDepot allegedly compensated production staff for steering borrowers into higher-rate loans while penalizing pricing exceptions, creating unfair competitive advantages through systematic violations of lending regulations.
fromwww.marinij.com
1 month ago

Novato real estate lender under investigation

At this time, the company has made the difficult decision to pause all redemptions until further notice. We are actively managing through a liquidity constraint.
Fundraising
SF real estate
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

The Disappearing American Mortgage

Mortgage applications have reached historic lows, freezing the real estate market and preventing working-class families from building wealth through homeownership while wealthy buyers dominate transactions.
#predatory-lending
EU data protection
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

How to ensure locked-down compliance during HMDA reporting season, and year-round

HMDA compliance requires year-round automation and verification systems to manage increasing regulatory scrutiny, as manual processes and data errors create significant compliance risks for financial institutions.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

IMB per-loan profits fell 44% in Q4 2025

Mortgage company production profits improved to 17 basis points in Q4 2025 from losses of 4 basis points in Q4 2024, though profits declined sequentially from Q3 2025.
fromTearsheet
2 months ago

Micro case studies: The feud over interest rate caps and the murky future of agentic commerce - Tearsheet

If this is enacted-and that's a big if, though part of me hopes it is-we would likely see a significant contraction in industry credit card lending. Credit card issuers simply won't be able to sustain profitability at a 10% rate cap,
US politics
Higher education
fromAbove the Law
1 month ago

Private Loan Exchange Launches As Federal Lending Tightens The Screws On Law Students - Above the Law

Federal student loan policy changes have reduced graduate student borrowing options, forcing law students toward private loans, prompting AccessLex Institute to launch a nonprofit-curated private loan directory.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Trigger leads restrictions rewrite mortgage outreach rules

A new federal law effective March 5 prohibits credit bureaus from selling trigger leads to lenders, significantly reducing unsolicited mortgage solicitations unless consumers opt in or lenders have existing relationships.
fromBusiness Matters
1 month ago

Can You Trust Online Loans? What Singapore Borrowers Should Know

A borrower visits an online money lender's website or app, fills out a digital application form, and uploads the required documents - typically a NRIC, proof of income, and recent bank statements. The lender reviews the application (often within the same day), and if approved, presents a loan contract with the terms spelled out: principal, interest rate, repayment schedule, and fees. Once both parties sign, the funds are disbursed directly to the borrower's bank account.
Business
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

The industry's quiet first line of defense

Title agents perform critical fraud detection work during real estate transactions that remains largely invisible to buyers, sellers, and lenders despite being more important than the visible closing process.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Banks eye mortgage growth if Basel III capital rules ease

Bank executives anticipate Basel III recalibration could increase mortgage and MSR attractiveness through lower risk weights and LTV-sensitive capital requirements, though implementation is expected to be gradual.
Miscellaneous
fromLondon Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
1 month ago

How does a personal loan work? From bank loans to alternative financing options - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Personal loans are unsecured borrowings repaid in fixed monthly installments, approved based on credit profile and income, commonly used for debt consolidation, emergencies, and home improvements.
US politics
fromFortune
3 months ago

Why a proposed 10% cap on credit card interest is rattling big banks | Fortune

A proposed temporary 10% cap on credit card interest could lower household costs but may reduce credit access and slow consumer spending.
Business
fromIndependent
1 month ago

Money experts on the pros and cons of borrowing - and whether they have any loans themselves

Debt can be categorized as good or bad depending on whether it finances appreciating assets or depreciating expenses, making strategic borrowing potentially beneficial despite cultural stigma against all debt.
Online marketing
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Mortgage lead prices to rise as trigger lead ban disrupts lenders

Removal of low-cost trigger leads is driving lenders to bid for scarce internet and first-party leads, increasing lead costs and shifting demand to vetted sources.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Is it time to bring banks back to the mortgage business?

Mortgage loan origination collapsed from 14.2 million in 2021 to under 5 million in 2023, with independent mortgage banks filling the gap while maintaining quality, yet regulators and industry leaders argue banks should re-engage to restore competition and customer relationships.
US politics
fromTearsheet
2 months ago

Micro case studies: The feud over interest rate caps and the murky future of agentic commerce - Tearsheet

Interest rate caps squeeze bank/card profitability and credit supply, creating growth opportunities for fintechs to capture underserved consumers and SMBs with tailored lending products.
#student-loans
Business
fromIndependent
1 month ago

'Irish banks rip-off young savers' - experts claim children's savings accounts are a marketing tool

Children's savings accounts often include restrictive, unfair terms that reduce advertised interest rates and function primarily as marketing tools.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Student loan delinquencies jumped, and housing distress is building

Delinquency rates across mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and student debt have climbed to their highest levels in nearly a decade, reaching 4.8% of outstanding household debt in the fourth quarter. While headline numbers remain within long-term historical ranges, a closer look reveals where stress is building: lower-income ZIP codes, younger borrowers, and markets experiencing slowing or declining home values.
US news
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Opendoor's cheap mortgage rates spark sustainability debate

Opendoor's mortgage product eliminates a 350-basis-point markup to offer below-market rates, but industry experts question cost absorption and long-term sustainability of the model.
US politics
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Trump's credit card rate cap plan may restrict mortgage credit

A one-year 10% cap on credit-card interest would free cash for home down payments but could trigger credit tightening and reduced access to credit.
#credit-card-debt
fromLondon Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
1 month ago

What are my rights as a borrower? - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Taking out a loan can feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory. Questions pile up fast. How much can they charge me? What happens if I miss a payment? Can they call my workplace? Here's what most borrowers don't realize. Singapore's Moneylenders Act grants you significant legal protections. These aren't suggestions lenders can ignore. They're enforceable rules backed by the Ministry of Law. Every licensed money lender operating in Singapore follows them. No exceptions.
Law
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Unison is facing another home equity investment lawsuit

Unison illegally issues mortgage loans disguised as option contracts, circumventing consumer protection laws while using selective data and opaque fees to profit at homeowners' expense.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Reverse mortgage servicers face lawsuit over borrower fees

Class-action alleges HECM servicers improperly added attorneys', property inspection, preservation and appraisal fees to reverse mortgage loan balances, inflating principals and costs.
fromRedfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling & More
1 month ago

Can You Get a Mortgage on Land? Land Loan vs Mortgage Explained

In most cases, lenders will not issue a traditional mortgage for land that does not already have a home or building on it. Mortgages are designed for developed properties because houses provide immediate collateral value and are generally easier to sell if a borrower defaults.
Real estate
US politics
fromFortune
1 month ago

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is under threat | Fortune

The Trump administration's cuts to the CFPB have cost Americans nearly $19 billion in lost consumer protections, with enforcement actions dropped and predatory lending practices left unchecked.
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Court upholds FinCEN's anti-money laundering rule for home sales

In the lawsuit, FNF claims that the rule, which was promulgated under the Biden administration, is arbitrary and capricious, and that the rule will cause irreparable harm. The rule requires title firms to report specific details on all-cash home purchase transactions. These include the names, addresses, dates of birth, citizenship status and ID numbers of all people involved including minors, payment details and information about trusts and entities that are purchasing the property.
Law
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

The 200-Basis-point gap: Why many lenders are leaving money on the table

A persistent 200 basis point performance gap between top and bottom tier lenders reflects structural industry inefficiency, not cyclical conditions, with top lenders earning 139 basis points while bottom lenders lose 70 basis points.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Experian imposes another price increase on mortgage lenders

Credit report prices for mortgage lenders have increased up to 50% in 2026 as competition intensifies among credit scoring providers following FHFA's approval of VantageScore 4.0 as an alternative to FICO.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Why mortgage licensing must be a priority for private lenders In 2026

Mortgage licensing is a critical legal and deal-enabling priority for private lenders, not an operational afterthought, with significant consequences for non-compliance including usury exposure, penalties, and loan enforceability risks.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Emigrant Bank's predatory lending loss upheld by Supreme Court

Jury found Emigrant liable for reverse redlining after marketing predatory loans with 18% default interest to Black and Latino New York City homeowners.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Regulators urged to ease bank capital rules for mortgages

Trade groups asked regulators to recalibrate bank capital requirements for residential mortgages, MSRs, and warehouse lending to better reflect current risk and protections.
#mortgage-fraud
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Rocket Companies faces lawsuit over mortgage steering

The plaintiffs are represented by Hagens Berman, a consumer protection law firm that was also involved in similar litigation against Zillow and the National Association of Realtors. In a press release announcing the action, the law firm said that Rocket including its affiliates Rocket Mortgage, Amrock Holdings and Rocket Homes Real Estate, which were also named as defendants conspired to pressure clients to use Rocket's mortgage company to finance their purchase.
Real estate
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Mortgage defects stabilize as lenders face quality control issues

Quality control staffing stabilized in 2025, but origination cost pressures and volume surges cause fluctuating defect types and levels, increasing buyback and defect risk.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Lender choice relies on the myth of adverse selection

Mortgage lenders choosing between FICO Classic and VantageScore 4.0 credit scores will not cause adverse selection because regulatory frameworks and GSE controls prevent gaming, and VantageScore 4.0 provides superior risk assessment.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

Study reveals bureau score gaps, fueling tri-merge credit debate

Replacing tri-merge credit reports with a single-file model can cause substantial score variances, risking borrower qualification, higher mortgage costs, and reduced credit access.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

The mortgage industry doesn't have a speed problem. It has a trust problem.

Mortgage industry speed improvements haven't reduced costs or risks because the real bottleneck is trust in fragmented, inconsistent data, not processing velocity.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Unison faces consumer lawsuit over home equity investment claims

Unison's home equity investment agreements are alleged to be misleading, functioning as unlicensed, high-cost mortgages that can strip homeowners' equity and evade consumer protections.
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Mortgage delinquency rate rises to 4.26% in Q4 2025

Mortgage delinquencies increased across all three major loan types Conventional, FHA, and VA in the last three months of the year, Marina Walsh, MBA's vice president of industry analysis, said in a statement. The most pronounced uptick was with FHA loans, which reached a delinquency rate of 11.52%, the highest level since the second quarter of 2021. While earlier-stage FHA delinquencies remained relatively flat compared to the previous quarter, later-stage, 90+ day delinquencies increased by 76 basis points.
Real estate
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Mortgage escrow misconceptions persist as payment amounts rise

Rising property taxes, insurance premiums, and escrow misconceptions are causing unexpected mortgage payment increases and borrower surprise despite many claiming they understand escrow.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Financial planners overlook reverse mortgage line of credit

Many retiring homeowners could benefit from reverse mortgage lines of credit, yet advisors often overlook housing wealth due to perception and knowledge gaps.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

Rocket RESPA lawsuit is unique, but legal hurdles lie ahead

Rocket Homes allegedly received ~35% referral fees for buyers steered to its agents, compromising agents' fiduciary duty and prompting pay-to-play coercion claims.
[ Load more ]