Origination

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities increased in November by the most in more than three years, underscoring a lingering scarcity of housing inventory.

If you see a Bay Area home sale listing, don't blink. You'll miss it.

Home prices were higher and supply tighter last year in the Albany, N.Y., region, but real estate brokers are waiting to see what impact federal tax changes will have in 2018.

Warehouse lines of credit are getting more expensive as short-term interest rates rise, and lenders have limited options for reducing their costs.

Compliance is a significant cost center for mortgage lenders. But with bulk rates, technology and better process management, some lenders have found new ways to reduce the burden.

From government grants to automating branch management tasks, lenders are using their knowledge of real estate, finance, and government incentives to maximize the resources they invest in facilities.

Mortgage lead generation costs are notoriously variable and tough to control, especially when lenders are trying to save money with origination call centers.

The acting head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can utilize "look-backs" of mortgage servicing and underwriting rules to push for significant changes.

A larger standard deduction could help renters become homeowners faster, and builders' lower taxes could expand inventory that competes with single-family rentals, according to Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service is piloting a new construction-to-permanent loan program after a previous venture in 2016 to spur construction lending in rural areas failed to attract many participants.