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The Risks of the Mortgage Mess: The Banks' View
HSBC got plenty of attention when it disclosed that it had suspended foreclosures in its annual report Monday. But its not the only bank whose annual report made for interesting reading. The risk disclosures in banks' annual reports shed some light on their attitudes toward the mortgage mess.
Massachusetts Ruling Slams Bank Foreclosure Practices
The state's highest court affirmed the fundamental and long-established idea that a bank must own the mortgage it's foreclosing on before it forecloses. The ruling pertained to Wells Fargo and US Bancorp, but investors are hammering all bank financial stocks in reaction.
The Foreclosure Mess: Florida Judges Can Do Better
Judges in several states are emerging as defenders of due process and the rule of law when confronted with the banks' rampant use of false foreclosure paperwork. Alas, that's not so true in Florida, where a foreclosure can be heard in seconds.
A Whistleblower Blasts Chase Credit Card Practices
Linda Almonte, a former employee of JPMorgan Chase who is suing the bank for wrongful termination, has upped the ante by filing a whistleblower complaint with the SEC. She's alleging grotesque and illegal practices with Chase credit card accounts.
Judge Rejects Wells Fargo Foreclosure Documents Again
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Martin Glenn denied Wells Fargo's request for permission to foreclose on Tandala Mims's house in the Bronx for a second time on Thursday because he still wasn't satisfied that Wells -- as opposed to some other bank -- had the right to do so.
Foreclosure Fiasco: Who Owns This Mortgage?
Most people raising the issue of false mortgage documents are homeowners facing foreclosure. And banks often respond that botched paperwork is a mere technicality -- nothing to worry about. Then you find a case like Wells Fargo's attempt to foreclose on Tandala Mims of New York.
Foreclosure Sales and Prices Plunged This Summer
Home sales tumbled this summer, and foreclosed properties bore the brunt of the pain. Sales of foreclosed homes plunged 31% from the year-ago period -- and 25% from the previous quarter. Prices for these properties also fell more than other homes.
Testimony Pokes Holes in Bank of America's Defense
Bank of America challenges testimony by one of its operational leaders -- that Countrywide may have held on to homeowners' notes that it should have put into a trust. But the testimony is reinforcing fears that BofA is in big trouble.
Little Sympathy for 'Besieged' Mortgage Bankers
A recent profile of Barbara Desoer, the president of Bank of America's home loan unit, describes her as "Besieged." But here's who's really beseiged: All those homeowners who are getting a raw deal from the banks.
No Foreclosure Problems at Bank of America?
After a 16-day review of its foreclosures, Bank of America says it found no problems with any of them, and now it's ready to resume processing the paperwork. But that's a claim so unbelievable it doesn't pass the straight-face test. Here's why.
What's Behind the Drop in Mortgage Applications?
The Mortgage Bankers Association said they tumbled 10.5% last week, the biggest fall-off in four months. While the foreclosure crisis may be playing a role in the decline, rising interest rates are also partly to blame.
New York's New Rule: Lawyers Must Truly Certify Foreclosure Documents
Attorneys will have to certify under penalty of perjury that they have personally reviewed all the key documents and that they have spoken directly with their clients, the foreclosing financial institutions. That will disrupt the state's foreclosure cases.
The Consequences of the Foreclosure Crisis
Even as the impact of the ongoing debacle slowly unfolds, it's not too early to tote up a list of 10 far-reaching developments that have already happened. None bodes well for the U.S. housing market, banks or economy.
