Housing risk in mortgage forgiveness

For a change, banks aren’t crying wolf. Over the past two years, financial institutions have often fought financial reform, hoping to maintain the status quo, and their profits. So it is easy to think opposition to a proposed settlement of alleged mortgage-servicing abuses is more of the same. This time, though, there is good reason for them to balk at some provisions. First, the settlement would give mortgage holders a right to loan modifications subject to third-party appeals. That will lengthen foreclosure processes, making it more difficult for housing markets to clear.