Originations

The California Housing Finance Agency has expanded a down payment assistance program for public school employees.

Hiring by independent mortgage firms accelerated in September after a slowdown in the prior month.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Opens Doors Foundation has raised more than $59,000 as a charity partner of the New York City Marathon.

Essent Group reported higher net income on a 25% year-over-year increase in insurance-in-force, while Genworth Financial posted a larger net loss from a year ago as its life insurance division took a hit.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Nov. 4.

American International Group has been increasing lending for apartments as the company seeks to counter low yields on publicly traded bonds and volatility from hedge fund holdings.

Fannie Mae's new representation and warranty relief offers lenders a long-awaited incentive to use its automated loan validation technology. But is it enough for lenders to make the necessary technology updates and process changes to implement the tools?

Regulators have pressed banks to watch out for rising concentrations of commercial real estate loans. Some banks have paid heed, but others are skyrocketing past recommended thresholds.

The agency released a plan last week that would stipulate that newly constructed homes financed by the Federal Housing Administration would have to be elevated two feet above the 100-year-based flood level.

Mortgage rates increased 7 basis points to their highest level since late June, the largest one-week gain in more than six months, according to Freddie Mac.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., which reported a third-quarter loss tied to credit issues, has elevated two lending officers to executive-level posts.

If Democrats succeed in winning control of the Senate after next week's election, the gavel of the Senate Banking Committee is likely to fall to Sen. Sherrod Brown, a progressive from Ohio who has called on the biggest banks to hold significantly more capital.

A new refinance mortgage offered by SoFi and Fannie Mae lets consumers tap into their home equity to pay down student loan debt at terms more favorable than a traditional cash-out refi.

Citigroup is marketing its latest commercial mortgage securitization heavily centered on the more volatile CMBS mix of hotel and office properties.

Mortgage application activity decreased 1.2% from one week earlier, its lowest level since May, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

NMI Holdings reported record net income of $6.2 million for the third quarter, as its insurance-in-force grew 19% during the period.

Freddie Mac's credit risk transfers come with a hefty price tag, but are ultimately still worth it, according to Chief Executive Don Layton.

Can some of the top names in mortgage lending outdo online lending startups in head-to-head competition? We're about to find out. Wells Fargo, Quicken Loans and SunTrust have all entered the digital lending business, putting early entrants on the defensive.

Cathay General Bancorp in Los Angeles has agreed to a community reinvestment plan tied to its deal to buy SinoPac Bancorp from Bank SinoPac in Taiwan.

Pennsylvania Treasurer Timothy Reese launched a $100 million initiative that he said would provide a competitive rate of return while supporting affordable housing.