NEW YORK, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Digital Risk LLC, the nation's largest    provider of mortgage risk, compliance and    transaction management solutions, today at the MBA National    Secondary Market Conference called for the creation of a    due    diligence industry standard task force to develop    standards and requirements in mortgage risk due    diligence. The company calls for ratings agencies, due    diligence firms, deal sponsors, originators and investors to    come together and agree on standard practices to improve    transparency and confidence in underwriting, fraud and    regulatory compliance, particularly RESPA reform. Without    such diligence standards, private capital will continue to ebb    from the RMBS market, and furthermore, the industry may face    additional government regulation.  
    A consortium that includes a cross section of top mortgage due    diligence firms, rating agencies, deal sponsors, originators    and investors would bring together the industry expertise and    broad representation needed to create a uniform set of due    diligence standards that include actionable and reliable    methodologies and analytics. Clarity in standards reduces    the cost to originate, which reduces cost to the consumer.    By joining together, industry participants can close the    loop on the mistakes that contributed to the mortgage crisis,    such as poor quality data and overly aggressive underwriting    guidelines.  
    The traditional underwriting guidelines used to evaluate a    borrower's willingness and ability to pay have limited lenders    origination capacity. This current phenomenon is    unsustainable, resulting in an unmet demand to loosen lending    standards. The markets are struggling to accurately value    loans because of the volatility in real property values, so    capital is on the sidelines until uncertainty dissipates.    A common set of best practices is sorely needed to raise    market confidence and free up mortgage lending.  
    Ratings agencies such as Moody's, DBRS, Fitch, Kroll and    S&P will play a pivotal role in this industry consortium as    they must understand the capabilities of due diligence firms as    well as utilize the review results to adjust inputs to their    models and overall ratings.  
    Due diligence firms also have an important perspective to    contribute. These companies have made efforts to learn    from the past and innovate approaches to risk management.    For example, over the past 7 years, Digital Risk has built    better predictive models in lending based on the review of    millions of loans. As a result, Digital Risk has    developed a patent-pending analytics platform that uses a    heuristic, machine-learning algorithm to analyze over 73    billion data elements. This industry-specific platform    provides a far more reliable and meaningful understanding of    systemic and operational risk and the propensity of default    than legacy systems that are still in use today. However,    broad participation is needed to create comprehensive systems    recommendations and quality oversight.  
    The efficacy of due diligence for investors depends on    standardizing the sample sizes, review scope and reporting.    "While there is market pressure to loosen lending    standards, without a true understanding of risk elements, the    certainty lenders require cannot be achieved and mortgage    capital will remain limited," says Peter Kassabov, Digital    Risk's Chief Executive Officer. "A standards body would not    only restore confidence in underwriting procedures, it will    help the mortgage lending industry feel more confident that it    has actionable, reliable data to make quality lending    decisions. As an industry, we need to proactively act to    develop reliable and stringent standards that will provide full    transparency and improve underwriting protocols without    government intervention."  
    Digital Risk, in conjunction with money center banks, rating    agencies and other industry organizations, is spearheading an    exploratory committee, which hopes to have its initial meeting    in the coming weeks. The group will convene to begin    setting new standards and to create an ongoing process to    monitor progress, including regular and periodic review    meetings.  
    About Digital Risk, LLC  
    Digital Risk is the largest provider of mortgage risk and    compliance management solutions. The company provides buyers    and sellers of mortgages and mortgage backed securities the    analytical, technological and risk management services they need to    achieve their goals. The Digital Risk platform delivers    transparency at the loan level and precise risk assessment    throughout the entire mortgage value chain. With over 1,400    U.S. based professionals, the company is privileged to serve    the nation's leading servicers, originators, aggregators and    investors. Digital Risk is independent and not affiliated    with an originator, issuer, servicer or investor. Headquartered    in Orlando, Digital Risk has additional operations in New York,    Dallas, Denver, Boca Raton and Jacksonville.  
    Contact: Brandie Young    brandie@marketingtbd.com    510-599-2785  
Original post:
Digital Risk Calls For New Industry Standards Taskforce To Oversee Mortgage Risk Due Diligence