Origination

Home prices fell in December for a fifth consecutive month and values are down 2.4% from the same period a year earlier, according to the new Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller house price index.

The Government National Mortgage Association's MBS program has experienced unprecedented growth the past two years and now the agency wants to nearly triple its allotment for salaries to $30 million, allowing it to hire additional staff while reducing its dependence on outside contractors.

Wells Fargo & Co. on Friday agreed to refund up to $10 million of mortgage fees to eligible military veterans who refinanced their residential loans with the bank or its affiliates.

The Federal Housing Administration has landed two big lenders to adopt its principal reduction program which helps underwater homeowners refinance into new FHA-insured loans.

The Treasury Department has tapped a former Wall Street managing director to be in charge of the research, markets and regulation arm of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Mortgage insurer Triad Guaranty, which is in "wind down" mode, earned $27 million in the fourth quarter and $132 million for the full year, making it (so far) the only publicly traded MI in the U.S. to post positive results in 4Q.

Wintrust Financial Corp., Lake Forest, Ill., said it has purchased "certain" assets and liabilities of mortgage banking firm Woodfield Planning Corp. of Rolling Meadows for an undisclosed sum.

Discover Financial Services wants to enter the residential origination space, an executive for the credit card company said late this week.

In my testimony I would like to cover three general areas. The first is to correct some myths that have taken hold in discussions about commercial real estate. The second is to highlight current conditions and trends in commercial real estate markets. The third is to note some key factors that will affect commercial real estate markets going forward.

Question: I am having a hard time getting repeat business from real estate agents and builders. My loans take too long and my customers are very unhappy with me. I want to build my repeat referral business with agents and builders, but they are not willing to give me another try.