By Rodney Carey Quick regulation is rarely great regulation.  This will ultimately prove true for Single Point of Contact (SPOC). The idea of a single individual as liaison for a borrower looking to avoid default is a brilliant core concept if the only problem is to simplify the process of navigating the “waterfall” of options […]

By Ronald Jasgur Why is it that the people screaming loudest about their housing problems are those who can’t or won’t pay their bills? And why are our elected officials and this year’s crop of political hopefuls pandering to them? I know, I know.  So many folks are struggling in this economy as a result […]

By Ronald Jasgur There is money on the table that no one’s claiming, money to be recovered in sales of distressed assets, left and right. Why, exactly, are banks and servicers seemingly not concerned about the bottom line on the HUD-1 settlement statement? It’s easy to answer. The people responsible for selling these assets (note: […]

By Ronald Jasgur It’s no secret that fraud is a huge problem in short sale and REO disposition. And yet, what surprised us most at the MBA Servicing Conference last week in Orlando was the lack of real solutions to kick fraud to the door. Everyone in the servicing industry, from credit risk to governance, […]

By Rodney Carey In reference to President Barack Obama’s recent announcement about reforming the housing industry… I’m sorry to say, but this is going to be another failed attempt, which will further delay any chance of recovery. What the administration proposes is great for generating headlines, but does nothing to fix the housing problem. First […]

By Ronald Jasgur Here’s a current-day dilemma to ponder: a listing agent lands a new bank-owned listing. Before marketing, the property needs an occupancy check, a clean-out, some minor repairs, and a few other maintenance items. Agent hurries to get the sign in the yard. A week or two passes before the bank approves expenses […]

By Ronald Jasgur The mortgage industry is rapidly being reshaped and restructured by the current housing crisis, but I’m continuing to see a blatant problem that is receiving almost no attention…a problem that is keeping values artificially depressed, enabling fraud in the REO and short-sale space, and leaving a wake of failed real estate transactions […]