Origination

To close gaps in volume caused by inventory shortages and help consumers get over the homeownership hump, lenders are offering mortgage programs and features like low down payments, bridge loans for home sellers and student loan refinancing. (Part two in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's efforts to provide representation and warranty relief to lenders that perform automated data validations before loans close will improve mortgage credit risk assessment and lower costs for lenders and borrowers.

Realogy's Title Resource Group is acquiring the assets of EAM Land Services as part of a strategy to strengthen its presence in commercial title services.

North Texas real estate agents sold a record number of houses in June.

Property owners estimate their homes are worth 1.7% more than appraisers do, according to Quicken Loans.

New data shows that large commercial banks are increasing their originations of single-family construction loans, but these loans still represent a small percentage of their total assets.

Home sales and the number of houses on the market dropped in Charlotte last month, but the price buyers are paying continued rising quickly, largely a product of limited inventory.

Rising mortgage rates hurt both refinance and purchase application activity as volume decreased 7.4% from one week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Mortgagee Review Board has suspended Seckel Capital from originating and underwriting FHA-insured mortgages.

As demand for new homes outpaces supply, it is essential for mortgage lenders to pursue strategies that stimulate inventory levels, such as supporting builders with construction financing and offering homebuyers single-close construction-to-permanent loans. (The first in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)