First American Financial Corp.

The latest round of earnings reports from home lending businesses and vendors continue the positive vibe for the sector as most reported year-over-year improvement in profitability.

Home sales continued to perform in line with their potential in September and indicators suggest housing will keep flourishing through the fourth quarter, according to First American.

The switch to a buyer's home purchase market, as well as fewer natural disasters helped drive the five-month-long decline in mortgage application fraud risk, First American said.

Existing-home sales exceeded their market potential again in August, and the improvement may continue for some time before there's a correction, according to First American.

Stewart Information Services has decided to make some big changes at the top following the dissolution of a planned merger with Fidelity National Financial.

Nonbank mortgage companies added 4,600 employees to their payrolls in July and may add more to address continuing rate-driven increases in loan volume.

A growing share of refinances born by lower rates is pushing down risk levels for fraud on a mortgage application, according to First American.

While affordability continues to affect homebuyers, rising income combined with descending interest rates and decelerating housing values boosted the purchase market, according to First American.

July's existing-home sales lived up to their potential after falling short the previous month, but that potential remains limited because tenure continues to increase, according to First American.

From Jacksonville, Fla., to Seattle, here's a look at the 12 most favorable housing markets for homebuyer purchasing power, based on a combination of local wages, lower property values and mortgage rates.

Title insurers benefited from the increase in origination volume — especially refinancings — during the second quarter, as open order counts increased compared with one year prior.

The potential for home resales rose 1.1% month-to-month as mortgage rates fell, but buyers only became more entrenched as their purchase power increased, according to First American.

Mortgage application fraud risk declined for the second consecutive month in May as housing market dynamics shifted towards the buyers, First American said.

From Seattle to Pittsburgh, here's a look at the 12 best housing markets for homebuyer purchasing power, characterized by a favorable combination of local wages and lower property values and mortgage rates.

People electing to remain in their primary residence for longer periods took more potential home sales out of the market than lower interest rates and higher income brought in, according to First American.

While low interest rates stimulated demand for housing in the first half of the year, affordability problems are holding back the purchase market, a First American survey of real estate professionals said.

Mortgage application fraud risk declined for the first time since last summer because the home sales market became less competitive with an easing of the inventory shortage, First American said.

First American Financial Corp. tumbled the most in nearly eight years amid concerns that a security flaw at the title insurer may have allowed unauthorized access to more than 885 million records related to mortgage deals going back to 2003.

From secondary markets along the East Coast to the heart of the Midwest, here's a look at cities where consumers are losing ground in purchasing power as summer approaches, based on changes in housing values compared to local wages and mortgage rates.

First American Financial may have allowed unauthorized access to more than 885 million records related to mortgage deals going back to 2003, according to a security researcher.