Origination

Mortgage rates edged up slightly over the past week, Freddie Mac said in its weekly market survey.

Fannie Mae, risk sharing, private capital, reinsurers.

Mortgage lending, particularly for bigger banks, cooled some in October as home buying season ended. Meanwhile, loan pricing deteriorated again, showing that lenders are still cutting rates to land the best credits.

The Rural Housing Service, an agency within the Department of Agriculture, is working to speed up loan processing and make other changes to boost lending in rural communities.

Mortgage applications increased last week due to higher refinance activity as interest rates for conforming mortgages were greater than jumbo loans.

Funding for housing counseling represents a minuscule fraction of total spending on housing-related initiatives. Still, some question whether taxpayers are getting the best bang for their buck.

Mortgage credit availability increased last month, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

National MI, a private mortgage insurance company in Emeryville, Calif., has named Jay Sherwood as president.

Consumers were more optimistic about their ability to buy a home in November compared to the previous month, according to Fannie Mae.