Originations

Outstanding mortgage debt secured by apartment buildings rose to $806 billion at Sept. 30, a $4.1 billion increase (up 0.5%) from mid-year, according to new figures compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Ranieri Real Estate Partners LP, New York, has established two new advisory services groups and as part of the initiative signed a definitive agreement to acquire boutique investment banking and advisory firm, Occom Capital Partners LLC, which has offices in New York and Portland, Maine.

A new report indicates unexpected changes in geographic patterns that helped cause nearly $20 billion in flood and hurricane losses to homeowners and lenders in 2011 call for a re-evaluation of existing emergency plans and insurance options.

Application volume increased by 4.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ended Dec. 9, as rates fell to their lowest levels this year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Some mortgage industry members are applauding Congressional efforts to raise the guarantee fees that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge lenders, saying the increases could help bring private investors back into the mortgage market.

The real estate firm Lincoln Property Co. purchased an office and retail complex that was in receivership for $76 million.

Americans of all political leanings are showing signs of increased anxiety about having enough money to make ends meet during retirement, a recent survey commissioned by the Americans for Secure Retirement found.

ANAHEIM, CA—The ever-optimistic National Association of Realtors believes the worst housing downturn since the Great Depression is almost over.

The Federal Open Market Committee's statement from its last meeting of the year acknowledged some slight economic growth but generally kept current stimulus, including mortgage-related programs, on a steady path.

U.S. commercial real estate market fundamentals currently look as if they will continue to stabilize going forward but it will depend to some extent on property type, location and liquidity, according to Fitch's recent structured finance outlook conference call.

A little over three years ago insurance giant MetLife looked like a genius. It stuck its toe in the mortgage banking pond by purchasing the production arm of First Horizon, some of its MSRs, and kept adding to the business.

Senate Republicans plan to block the confirmation of Carol Galante to head the Federal Housing Administration until the Obama administration takes more forceful action to strengthen the government mortgage insurer - and issues a blueprint for dealing with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Umpqua Bank, Roseburg, Ore., is expanding its commercial real estate lending operations by upgrading its structure to be a division of the bank and promoting John Swanson to senior vice president and commercial real estate manager.

DebtX, Boston, has been hired to sell roughly $334 million of troubled acquisition, development and construction loans for a bankrupt real estate fund.

Mortgage document preparation technology vendor DocuTech acquired competing doc prep technology Docs3D in a deal announced Tuesday.

As we wrap up another year, we look for innovative and fun ways to wish our clients, friends, referral partners, others we do business with, others we want to do business with, et al, a happy holiday season.

Prudential Mortgage Capital Co., Newark, N.J., has hired at least two multifamily loan officers for the Boston office it opened in October and plans to expand further throughout the nation, one senior executive of the company told National Mortgage News.

If households are ever to climb out of the financial hole created by the housing bust, stocks are going to have to do better.

Many lenders are no longer getting mortgage borrower leads from the Google Comparison Ads platform, as the search engine giant has suspended its rate search and lead generation tool in all but four states and the District of Columbia.

Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc., Dallas, has restructured and extended the maturity date on a $203.4 million mortgage loan that was originally due this month. According to the company's third quarter 10-Q filing, the loan is secured by five hotels; the lender was not disclosed.