Originations

Stonegate Bank in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has agreed to buy Florida Shores Bancorp in Pompano Beach.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.57% for the week ending Sept. 5, up from 4.51% the previous week.

Lenders continued to face challenges with loan growth in the second quarter as interest rates increased.

The Beige Book notes that the activity in residential real estate markets increased modestly during July and August.

State-chartered housing finance agencies have been adapting to the low interest rate environment by securitizing mortgages via Ginnie Mae and selling loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

With interest rates rising and refinances tanking, a lot of lenders are searching for a bigger share of the home purchase market.

Wholesaler 360 Mortgage is looking to expand its relationships with mortgage brokers beyond Home Affordable Refinance Program-related products.

I’m actually getting email from readers who agree with me that our industry really is like professional football.

The Mortgage Grapevine community has been asked if anyone has a prediction on when the subprime and/or alt-A lending markets will return.

Nearly half of the borrowers participating in an online National Foundation for Credit Counseling survey would rather talk to a qualified professional when facing financial distress.

A national alliance has been established with a goal of protecting and promoting sustainable homeownership for all 75 million existing homeowners and aspiring homebuyers across the country.

At one-tenth of a percentage point the seemingly small quarterly decline in the delinquency rate of loans held in commercial mortgage-backed securities during the second quarter of 2013 is the largest on record.

The Internal Revenue Service has the material; you need to know how to use it.

ISGN is working to increase the functionality of its loan origination system, the new chief executive said.

Reverse mortgage borrowers will have more options for tapping the equity in their homes without depleting all their equity in one transaction.

JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $18.3 million to settle claims that its Bear Stearns Cos. unit failed to disclose the actual interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgage documents.

Barry Habib, chief market strategist for Residential Finance, examines the Mortgage Bankers Association Purchase Applications index as well as the July CoreLogic home price report.

Genworth Financial has added two new executives to the management team at its U.S. mortgage insurance subsidiary.

Australian billionaire James Packer bought 9.4% of Zillow Inc., becoming the second-biggest shareholder in the U.S. real estate website.

The premium buyers are paying for newly constructed houses is abnormally high.