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An increased level of home-purchase mortgage applications led to continued improvement in the U.S. housing market in December, according to Freddie Mac.

The volume of all mortgage loan applications declined 4.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Feb. 19, compared to the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Economic data and corporate earnings reports released Tuesday make it easy to remember why the housing market is expected to be one of the economy's bright spots for years to come.

Nationstar Mortgage is in the market with the second rated securitization of what are nonperforming Home Equity Conversion Mortgage loans, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Mechanics Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., has entered the residential mortgage market and hired a banker to lead the new loan group.

Purchases of new homes dropped more than forecast in January as contract signings slumped in the western U.S. by the most since May 2010.

Despite dire predictions by banks and others that new mortgage rules by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would cut off access to credit, the industry is performing well two years after the regulations went into effect, according to the agency's top official.

The inventory of homes for sale in the U.S. declined in January, while home prices continue to rise, according to Zillow.

Meaningful rules encouraging Fannie and Freddie to do more with manufactured housing would allow more lenders into the market and make pricing more competitive.

Bank mortgage originations were up 7% in the fourth quarter of 2015, while the number of Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.-insured institutions that deal primarily in mortgages dropped more than 9% from a year ago.