Origination

Sales of previously owned homes rose for a second straight month and exceeded forecasts in November, suggesting consumer demand is picking up as price gains moderate amid more generous inventories.

Mortgage applications decreased 5.8% from one week earlier, although rates fell during the period to their lowest point in three months, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The city of St. Augustine, Fla., is expected to get an abundance of new apartments and houses, and some of them are taking shape now.

A Flora Vista, N.M., man accused of five felony charges for forging a signature on real estate paperwork then ordering an employee to dispose of property from the victim's residence has agreed to a plea agreement.

There was a slight increase in house listings in the Twin Cities metro last month, suggesting much better times ahead for buyers and their agents.

The Property Assessed Clean Energy sector is getting a boost from the expansion of improvements eligible to be financed via tax assessments, including fire resiliency and total building renovations, according to DBRS.

Class Valuation, a Troy, Mich.-based appraisal management company, acquired Landmark Network, which specializes in providing valuation services for reverse mortgages.

Rising rents combined with growing housing inventory could lead to increased purchase mortgage originations in the near future.

New-home construction rebounded last month to the best pace since August while permits rose to a seven-month high, a sign homebuilding is potentially stabilizing even as higher prices and borrowing costs pose headwinds.

Richard Harra was also fined $300,000 for painting a false picture of the bank’s financial health at the height of the financial crisis.