Originations

Mortgage credit availability expanded for the third consecutive month in November, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The number of borrowers able to refinance a loan has been cut by more than half as a result of the post-election rise in interest rates, according to Black Knight Financial Services' monthly Mortgage Monitor report.

PlainsCapital Corp. subsidiary PrimeLending is expanding its closing cost assistance program to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Ben Carson accepted Donald Trump's offer to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a statement from the president-elect's transition office Monday.

Employment in the nondepository mortgage lenders and brokers sector grew for the fifth straight month, according to the Bureau of Labor of Statistics.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Dec. 2.

NAHREP Consulting Services, a consulting firm that specializes in housing and the Latino market, has created a new program to help lenders looking to ramp up their market efforts in diverse communities.

The mortgage interest deduction will be limited in reforms designed to provide tax cuts for middle-class borrowers, but not those with higher incomes, according to Treasury Secretary-designate Steve Mnuchin.

The debate over housing finance reform appears to have new life as both Democrats and the next administration appear ready to take up the issue.

The Federal Housing Administration will increase loan limits across most areas in the United States in 2017 to reflect rising home prices.

Privatizing the government-sponsored enterprises is a priority for Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin. Here's a look at what it will take to pull off and the potential implications for the mortgage industry of unwinding the conservatorship.

The multifamily construction boom may finally be coming to an end as leasing of new units has slowed and lenders are becoming more cautious.

LoanDepot has agreed to purchase two title and settlement services companies, Closing USA and its affiliate, American Coast Title.

Conforming mortgage rates are at their highest level this year after increasing 51 basis points since Election Day, according to Freddie Mac.

Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin's plan to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government control could mean increased competition for lenders' loans. But it could also prompt a rise in mortgage rates.

Even before taking office, Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin has said he wants to return Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the private sector, a radically different vision of housing finance reform than that pushed by other Republicans.

Arch Capital Group plans to offer $950 million of senior notes, using the proceeds to fund a portion of its acquisition of United Guaranty Corp. and AIG United Guaranty Insurance (Asia) Ltd. from AIG.

President-elect Donald Trump recognizes that full repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act is unlikely, though he supports a House effort to make significant changes, according to a former banker who was on the shortlist to be Treasury secretary.

The average credit score nationwide rose four points from last year to 673 points, according to Experian.

Mortgage application volume decreased 9.4% from one week earlier as key interest rates hit their highest level since July 2015, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.