Origination

Residential real estate activity showed "some" improvement in March, but there were few signs of spring for the single-family housing market in the Federal Reserve's Beige Book report released Wednesday afternoon.

As mortgage rates continue to be at all-time lows, the present day is a better time than ever before for a prospective homebuyer to purchase any type of property.

In shaping the future of the housing finance system, Congress needs to review the patents Fannie Mac and Freddie Mac own on many lending, servicing and secondary market processes, according to the Consumer Mortgage Coalition.

Online-only mortgage lender Quicken Loans is using the recently announced layoff of 2,000 Yahoo employees to try to boost the tech talent within its own ranks.

In 2011, more than $184 billion in commercial and multifamily mortgage loans was originated, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Lenders are hoping the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will approve a 'qualified mortgage' rule with a safe harbor, protecting them from consumer lawsuits, but a legal analysis shows lenders may still be vulnerable if they are careless or cut corners.

This morning The New York Times reported that our nation's banks are "back to lending to risky borrowers. As banks look to make up for fee income barred by new regulations, they've gone back to offering loans and credit cards to borrowers with bad credit."

Mortgage applications fell 2.4% for the week ending April 6, continuing a trend that started several weeks ago when rates began to rise, according to new figures compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Roughly 33 full-timers will lose their jobs when Ally Financial closes its MBS broker/dealer operation, according to a company spokeswoman.

Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union of Warrenville, Ill., the survivor of what was once Members United Corporate FCU, said it has signed a letter of intent to combine with Central Corporate Credit Union of Michigan, creating the nation's largest corporate with almost $5 billion in assets.