Origination

Some 3 million houses – two to three years worth of production – weren't built as a result of the housing recession, according to the National Association of Home Builders' chief prognosticator.

Government controlled mortgage giant Freddie Mac posted a meager $113 million net loss in the fourth quarter — but actually earned $1.2 billion before having to pay the U.S. Treasury a hefty $1.6 billion dividend payment.

Title insurance giant First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif., posted net earnings of $47 million in the fourth quarter, just about flat compared to the same period a year earlier.

In a new letter industry trade groups are urging the Federal Reserve to reject a recent staff interpretation regarding its loan officer compensation rule that would restrict payments between mortgage companies and "affiliated" real estate brokerages and title agencies.

Mortgage bankers originated $23.1 billion of Federal Housing Administration-backed loans in January, a 12.5% decline from the prior month, according to new figures released Thursday.

More than 71% of short sales can take four to nine months to complete — and almost 10% of these transactions require at least 10 months, according to new survey figures released by Equi-Trax Asset Solutions.

New home purchases fell 12.6% in January to start the new year off on the wrong foot, erasing a 15% gain in December sales.

Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Alexandra, Va., said it plans to open at least ten additional offices for its PenFed Realty affiliate by yearend.

Origination services and technology at Lender Processing Services showed annual and quarterly revenue gains in the fourth quarter of 2010. But its corresponding business in the mortgage servicing and default arenas closed out the year with quarterly declines, according to recent regulatory filings.

Synovus Financial Corp., which ranks 55th among all residential lenders nationwide, is reportedly entertaining the idea of a sale.