Originations

MetLife has originated over $1.6 billion in agricultural mortgages in the first nine months of 2011. It provides mortgage loans on farms, ranches, timberland and agribusiness facilities throughout North America.

Presidential Realty Corp., a real estate investment trust based in White Plains, N.Y., has terminated its plan of liquidation and instead entered into a strategic transaction where affiliates of Signature Community Investment Group LLC acquired a significant interest in the company.

Ally Financial Inc. is actively considering putting its ailing Residential Capital Corp. mortgage lending unit into bankruptcy, according to a report from Dow Jones.

The Federal Housing Administration confirmed that it has hired a new multifamily director and a new chief risk officer.

For most Americans, paying for their children's' college education is a much higher priority than saving money for retirement or for dealing with future medical expenses. A study conducted by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. found that only three in 10 American parents feel they are adequately preparing for retirement.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is close to completing its redesign of the Good Faith Estimate form that home buyers receive after applying for a mortgage — but some industry groups believe the agency needs to test the disclosures on real loans.

Mortgage applications jumped 10.3% for the week ending Nov. 4, a sign that continued low interest rates are starting to entice consumers, according to new figures compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Mortgage Bankers Association posted a $28.4 million loss for its fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, almost double the loss it suffered the year before.

By now you've seen the stories about Bank of America losing some of its top loan producers who—among other things—are griping about the painfully slow underwriting and closing times at the troubled residential lender.

Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp.'s delinquent loan inventory declined by over 1,000 loans in October although new notices outpaced cures by 3,500 loans.

All the new requirements for property valuations in the mortgage lending industry, both on the servicing and loan origination sides of the business, have enhanced the need for different types of products to be introduced into the market.

When most mortgage originators made their sales plan for 2011, they probably anticipated a year that was heavy on the purchase side, with rising interest rates keeping total volume down.

The government's effort to streamline its refinancing program for mortgage borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth will amount to a wealth transfer from investors. But which investors? And how much of a transfer?

The Supreme Court said Monday it will take up a case to decide whether an individual may allege discrimination under the Fair Housing Act based solely on the impact of a policy, rather than the intent.

Although the chances are slim, the conforming loan limit in a few high-cost housing markets could rise on January 1.

Over the past three months U.S. banks have not relaxed their credit standards on new single-family and commercial real estate loans, according to a new survey of senior loan officers released by the Federal Reserve.

Product and pricing engine vendor LoanSifter is the latest technology provider to feed mortgage rates and borrower lead data back and forth across Google Comparison Ads for lenders that advertise on the mortgage rate search platform.

A vacant, hurricane-damaged residential tower in New Orleans will be rehabilitated with proceeds from Wednesday's negotiated sale of $7.4 million of multifamily revenue bonds issued by Louisiana Housing Finance Agency.

Trenton Police FCU has signed a deal with Residential Home Funding Corp. to provide it with mortgage banking services.

Electronic trading platform for U.S. and European fixed-income bonds MarketAxess Holdings just added non-agency RMBS and CMBS to its e-trading platform.