Origination

Moody's Investor Service this week went "negative" on the mortgage insurance industry, citing the sector's weak financials and calling its future "unclear."

The average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage set a new record low and the average 30-year FRM rate slid a bit to a point not far from its bottom in Freddie Mac's closely watched primary market survey.

Mortgage Marvel, which operates a site where consumers are able to shop for mortgage loans and rates while at the same time maintaining their privacy, has made some upgrades to its functionality.

I just read a blog that stopped me in my tracks. It was called, "What If I'm Not Awesome Enough?" I'm going to paraphrase here, but I wanted you to know that awesome is not the primary thing that homebuyers are looking for!

As servicing fraud schemes rise in which scammers are taking advantage of distressed borrowers, it is important for lenders to step up their efforts in detecting and preventing these false scams from taking place.

Sen. Chuck Grassley took the Justice Department to task Wednesday for its fair lending settlement with Countrywide Financial Corp., saying it will have minimal economic impact for affected borrowers.

Analysts and company executives are optimistic about Ellie Mae's 2012 prospects after the loan origination system vendor beat internal projections and Wall Street estimates for the fourth quarter and full year 2011.

Investors are lining up to get their hands on the thousands of government-held foreclosed homes, either to fix up the houses for resale or to hold the properties as rentals. But in a sort of if-you-can't-beat-them-join-them scenario, some builders are putting up brand-new houses as rentals.

Axia Home Loans, Bellevue, Wash., a $1 billion a year producer, has hired Keith Frachiseur as its new president.

A Mortgage Bankers Association analysis of data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. shows that commercial and multifamily mortgages "have fared better through the credit crunch and recession than any other major type of loan held by banks and thrifts" in some respects.