Mortgage loans

The Massachusetts AG is cracking down on a company collecting on "zombie second mortgages" — old loans that homeowners thought were dead but rise from the grave. People are losing houses over them.

With mortgage rates up sharply, many more homebuyers are turning to adjustable rate loans. These can be more affordable, at least at first. But they come with a big risk. Is it worth it?

Had it gone into effect, the fee cut would have reduced the cost of borrowing for about 1 million Americans a year who buy or refinance houses with loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is sending undercover operatives to ferret out racial discrimination. They're called "testers" or "mystery shoppers" and pose as customers applying for loans.