Lalita Clozel

Profits on home sales reached their highest point in eight years in the third quarter despite a slowing-down of appreciation rates, according to RealtyTrac's U.S. Home Sales Report.

WASHINGTON — The House passed a massive $340 billion transportation bill on Thursday, striking two key provisions hated by the banking industry while adding several other measures that could affect financial institutions.

Nationstar Mortgage Holdings took $66 million in losses for the third quarter, compared to a $75 million gain in the second quarter.

Mortgage applications decreased 0.8% for the week ending Oct. 30 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly survey — an improvement from the 3.5% drop registered the week prior.

Bank of America has paid more than $2.1 billion in consumer relief in the second quarter, making strides in paying the mortgage crisis-related penalties imposed by the Justice Department, an independent monitor announced Tuesday.

The housing market displayed bright short-term and long-term trends in September, according to CoreLogic's Home Price Index.

A New Jersey woman and her parents were found guilty of a sophisticated mortgage equity fraud scheme by a Pennsylvania federal jury.

A Georgia real estate investor pleaded guilty this week to property bid rigging and mail fraud, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Atlanta division.

A handful of housing markets in the West showed signs of resilience in October, Pro Teck Valuation Services' monthly Home Value Forecast indicates.

BOK Financial reported a small drop in third-quarter profit, as a decline in the value of mortgage servicing rights offset loan and fee income growth.

Executives at small banks and credit unions told the Senate Banking Committee about horror stories of technical glitches, vendor delays and overworked appraisers, while expressing an interest in having more time to comply with new mortgage rules.

Despite a slight uptick month-to-month, delinquency rates are down year-to-year.

Residential mortgage-backed securities servicers are improving their processes despite generally adverse market conditions, Fitch Ratings found.

Mortgage rates fell this week as investors acted on Federal Reserve Gov. Daniel Tarullo's doubts on an interest rate increase occurring before the end of the year.

Mortgage default rates decreased in September, pushing the composite rate down seven basis points to 0.89%, according to the S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices.

Citizens Bank in Providence, R.I., has appointed a former mortgage insurance executive to head its mortgage division.

Wolters Kluwer Financial Services has released a new tool to help lenders navigate updated reporting requirements on mortgage loans announced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last week.

Arch Mortgage Insurance Co. plans to launch a new risk-based pricing program in the fourth quarter.

Xome, a Nationstar Mortgage Holdings effort to automate the home-buying process, has launched a notary mobile app.

Single-family home market values nationwide are expected to rise 3.6% in the coming year, according to Veros Real Estate Solutions, which said this is one of the best forecasts in almost two years.