The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network today further expanded the scope of its geographic targeting orders temporarily requiring certain U.S. title insurance companies in specified areas to identify the individuals behind companies used to conduct high-end, all-cash real estate transactions.

Noting that in many communities persistently depressed home prices are hindering recovery, the OCC today issued guidance for OCC-regulated banks seeking to develop programs to offer home loans with loan-to-value ratios of over 100 percent, known as “higher-LTV” loans.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency today extended the Home Affordable Refinance Program through Dec. 31, 2018.

In a letter to the National Association of Realtors yesterday, FHFA Director Mel Watt signaled that the agency would not move to establish a short-term capital buffer for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when the current capital buffer put in place under the terms of the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements with the Treasury Department expires on Jan. 1, 2018.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could need upwards of $100 billion in bailout funds if faced with another financial crisis, according to the results of the GSEs’ Dodd-Frank Act stress tests released yesterday.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has reopened and extended the deadline of its request for information on how to serve borrowers with limited English proficiency to Sept. 31.

Fannie Mae today said that it earned net income of $3.2 billion in the second quarter, up from $2.8 billion in the first quarter.

ABA yesterday urged the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to carefully consider costs and burdens associated with its Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage rule as it conducts a required assessment of the final rule’s effectiveness.

In response to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s recent request for information on how to serve borrowers with limited English proficiency, ABA and three financial and housing trade groups yesterday urged FHFA to pursue a holistic strategy to identify LEP-specific barriers to homeownership and develop cost-effective, practical solutions.

Freddie Mac yesterday reported a $1.7 billion profit for the second quarter, following earnings of $2.2 billion in the previous quarter.