Wells Fargo has more than doubled their market share for conventional mortgage originations in Oregon. Their market share approached 24 percent in July. Last year, during a very weak mortgage market, Wells Fargo had roughly 12 percent of conventional mortgages … Read More

Rhode Islanders looking to do a FHA streamline refinance will now have to be concerned with new changes going into effect on November 17, 2009. On September 18, 2009, the Federal Housing Authority released a new mortgagee letter, ML2009-32 ,  … Read More

Each Monday, The Simple Dollar opens up the reader mailbags and answers ten to twenty simple questions offered up by the readers on personal finance topics and many other things. Got a question? Ask it in the comments. You might … Read More

From Paul Krugman on financial reform: Reform or Bust I was startled last week when Mr. Obama, in an interview with Bloomberg News, questioned the case for limiting financial-sector pay: “Why is it,” he asked, “that we’re going to cap … Read More

Earlier today I posted a couple of bullish views and I disagreed with the projections of an “Immaculate Recovery”. Former IMF chief economist Michael Mussa suggested that consumer spending wouldn’t lead this recovery, but that business investment would be strong. … Read More

Many newer readers of The Simple Dollar haven’t been exposed to the hundreds of great articles in the archives of the site, so this is a weekly series that highlights the five best posts from one year ago this week, … Read More

Big changes are coming to the FHA Streamline Refinance program that will affect Orange County, CA home owners ability to take advantage of the program. the changes are set to take effect. According to the newly issued Mortgagee Letter 2009-32, … Read More

HUD’s issuance of Mortgagee Letter 2009-32, Revised Streamline Refinance Transactions today.  The announced changes may have effectively caused an indefinite hiatus for a popular program for FHA borrowers – the “No-Cost” FHA Streamline Refinance. I’ve provided an explanation of the … Read More

Good News! FHA issued mortgagee letters today announcing major changes to FHA loan procedures. The following are highlights from the announcements: MORTGAGEE LETTER 2009-29: Appraisal Portability This mortgagee letter addresses the portability of appraisals for the purpose of facilitating the … Read More

Randy Johnson, president of Independence Mortgage Co. in Newport Beach, author of “How to Save Thousands of Dollars on Your Home Mortgage” and a mortgage broker since 1983, answers questions… Q. My brother, who owns and manages a lot of … Read More