Origination

The 30-day delinquency rate on 'open end' home equity lines of credit fell 7 basis points to 1.74% in the third quarter, reaching a low not seen since 2008, according to new figures released by the American Bankers Association.

Strict mortgage underwriting standards, a high foreclosure rate, elevated inventories of unsold homes, and slow job growth are "standing in the way of a clear turn in the housing market," according to Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank president Dennis Lockhart.

Republic Bancorp, Louisville, Ky., plans to enter the warehouse lending arena by the second quarter and recently hired a top executive from National City Bancorp to manage the business.

2010 was the "worst year ever" for new home sales, according to David Crowe, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders, which is holding its annual convention and trade show this week in Orlando.

Even though Keefe, Bruyette & Woods predicts a 14% decline in mortgage origination volume, the amount of new private mortgage insurance written should increase in 2011 over 2010, in large part because of the Federal Housing Administration program pricing change.

No matter what your view is on New Year's resolutions—last week I related part of an interview I saw with Suze Orman on the topic—the best way to success is to set achievable, realistic goals.

What will 2011 hold for the mortgage industry? It is shaping up to be a poor year for originations, a big year for servicing, and a key year for the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Capital Markets Cooperative and the Bank of Internet have formed an alliance to offer a proprietary jumbo product that the bank has just started offering on a correspondent basis.

The expansion plans at Foundation Financial Group continue on pace as its founder steps back from the chief executive role and moves more into a strategy and planning position.

A foundation representing investors in the United States as well as three other parts of the globe said it is taking a shareholder fraud action in a Utrecht civil court related to a major acquisition by Fortis NV, a European company that had been hard hit by U.S. subprime exposures and subsequently went through a government bailout.