Originations

The recent rise in home prices has a number of observers concerned, and a Mortgage Grapevine post refers to recent article in a Denver newspaper on that topic.

Deutsche Bank AG arranged a $1.5 billion credit line for Blackstone Group LP to buy single-family properties last week, after providing $2.1 billion to the firm earlier this year.

Banks are pushing to overturn a legal theory that allows fair lending suits when there is no evidence that the lender intentionally discriminated against a particular racial or ethnic group, as long as the bank's policies had a disparate impact on minorities.

Williston Financial Group, the parent company of WFG National Title Insurance Co., has acquired Community Title Services of Nevada, an agency based in Las Vegas.

For the first time since April 2006, home builders view conditions for sales of newly built single-family homes as good, the National Association of Home Builders said.

Redfin said active listings are down 22% from a year ago, but this is likely to turnaround to a positive number before the end of the year.

Tight credit is limiting economic growth and disenfranchising the vast majority of middle and lower income borrowers from becoming homeowners, according to Lewis Ranieri.

Ellie Mae has a program called EllieCares, where they have corporate volunteer projects. Over the past four years more than 70% of Ellie Mae’s Bay Area staff has participated in company-affiliated volunteer efforts.

Ocwen's agreement to buy $78 billion in mortgage servicing rights from OneWest is part of a string of deals by it and other nonbanks meant to wring value from remnants of the mortgage meltdown that many banks seek to unload.

Bank of America rewarded staff with cash bonuses and gift cards for meeting quotas tied to sending distressed homeowners into foreclosure, former employees said in court documents.

The 30-year mortgage rate has increased nearly 50 basis points over the past five weeks, which has hurt refinancings. But purchase activity has held up pretty well.

As the smaller GSE, Freddie Mac has traditionally been friendlier toward small seller/servicers than its larger competitor Fannie Mae.

The New York Association of Mortgage Brokers recently convened its annual wholesale meeting where its leadership was heartened by the resurgence in wholesale.

The zigzag pattern of the stock market continued on Friday as 15 of 17 Mortgage Industry Equity Composite stocks closed lower.

Sales of California homes and condominiums rose 8% in May from the prior month, according to DataQuick.

There are three items contributing to the recent book value decline in mortgage real estate investment trust stocks: Prepay protection premiums evaporation; duration and duration extension risk; and mortgage basis risk.

Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch are marketing $1.5 billion of commercial mortgage-backed securities.

In this new position, Patricia Kauker will be responsible for managing the reverse mortgage lenders training and development program and create initiatives that will help expand the program.

The prevalence of short sales is likely the most significant factor impacting foreclosure rate improvements and the housing recovery.

On the Mortgage Grapevine, poster Accptmort is looking for a commercial correspondent purchaser in Wisconsin who accepts loans or referrals from mortgage brokers.