Origination

Remember when "investor" was a four-letter word? Not anymore. Now, investors are all but saving the housing market.

Federally chartered thrifts originated $25.9 billion of single-family loans during the third quarter, up nearly 9% from 2Q, according to figures compiled by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Home prices fell 1.3% in October after a 1.1% decline in September, according to new figures release by CoreLogic.

WASHINGTON—Congress has handed the Federal Housing Administration a golden opportunity to increase its share of the jumbo mortgage market, but HUD secretary Shaun Donovan doesn't want to exploit the situation.

This is yet another column discussing running your mortgage originations business (be it broker or banker) like it was any other business. Successful business owners don't necessarily reinvent the wheel especially when it comes to what might be termed "human resources" stuff.

Equity Residential, a real estate company that owns and invests in multifamily properties, has agreed to purchase a 26.5% ownership stake in Archstone, which is in the same business, from Bank of America and Barclays Bank PLC, for $1.325 billion in cash. This move is the opening salvo in what is likely to turn into a battle over control of Archstone's assets.

Bank of America is continuing to lose top retail loan officers and managers to the competition, the latest departure claiming a handful of employees in the Columbia, S.C. area.

PNC Bank is searching for a divisional manager to oversee mortgage operations in parts of the Mid-Atlantic, South and West, according to a job notice provided to National Mortgage News.

Supreme Lending, a Dallas-based mortgage banker, has hired James E. Iley Jr., as the company's new senior vice president, national production manager.

Five banks across the nation failed in November, according to Trepp LLC's latest report, with commercial real estate a major contributing factor.