Origination

New home sales rose 5.7% in September thanks to strong purchase activity in the South and West, according to government figures released Wednesday morning.

Idaho is the 39th most populated state, according to recent U.S. Census data, but it is seventh for the percentage of people 50 and older taking out a reverse mortgage, according to AARP.

Top residential loan officers working for Bank of America are continuing to flee the troubled lender with its latest casualty being David Macke, who ranks first among all purchase money LOs at the bank.

Residential application volume increased 4.9% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending October 21, as purchase loans recovered from a 15-year low, according to new figures compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

US Mortgage Corp., Melville, N.Y., has hired Kelly Sabino as the director of its reverse mortgage division.

FirstMerit Corp., Akron, Ohio, reported third-quarter earnings of $31.7 million, up about 9% year over year, thanks to increased commercial lending activity and fewer problem assets.

The nearly 900,000 borrowers who already refinanced through the HARP program will not get another chance to lower their mortgage rates under the White House's newly revised initiative.

A briefing and vote that would have authorized a county attorney in Texas to sue Merscorp was delayed Tuesday.

It's been roughly three weeks since the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loan limit officially changed, falling 14% to $729,750. According to some mortgage bankers and Realtors the event is the equivalent of the world ending. Or is it?

JCR Capital, Denver, will be originating, underwriting and managing a $100 million commercial real estate bridge loan fund for an unnamed institutional investor.