Originations

Mortgage rates slipped from last week's spike and the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage eased back to its summertime range below 3.5%, according to Freddie Mac.

Radian Group reported an 18% uptick in net income as it set a company record for the highest quarterly volume of flow mortgage insurance.

Arch Capital Group's mortgage insurance business had underwriting income of $37.4 million in the third quarter, an increase of 119% compared with the $17.1 million one year prior.

The Freddie Mac Multi-Indicator Market Index for August was up 5.4% over the same month last year, driven by its purchase component, which had an 18.6% increase.

Walker & Dunlop has agreed to acquire George Elkins Mortgage Banking Co., which originates commercial real estate loans for life insurers, banks, trusts, pension funds and other private capital sources.

Higher mortgage banking revenue and commercial real estate lending offset merger costs at United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., leading to an improvement in third-quarter profit.

Mortgage applications decreased 4.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous week as purchase activity was at its lowest point since January, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Purchases of new homes in September stayed close to an almost nine-year high, showing residential real estate was maintaining momentum heading into the quieter selling season.

Flagstar Bancorp's quarterly profit increased after a decline in the value of a 2012 legal settlement liability tied to its mortgage lending practices.

Home prices, when adjusted for income and interest rates, decreased in August by 2.6% on a year-over-year basis, making properties more affordable, according to First American Financial Corp.

Heartland Financial USA in Dubuque, Iowa, has named Jack Lloyd president of its residential mortgage business.

CoreLogic reported its net income increased by 27% to $36 million for the third quarter on a year-over-year basis, as it saw record highs for revenue and operating income.

Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities continued to rise at a steady pace in August, according to data Tuesday from S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller.

Real estate franchisor Re/Max Holdings is getting into the mortgage brokering franchise business with its new unit Motto Mortgage.

Fannie Mae is planning to provide relief to lenders from potential buybacks for loans in which the borrower's income, assets and employment information have been validated through automated underwriting.

Equifax Workforce Solutions has been selected as a designated vendor for Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter validation service.

The acquisition of Middleburg Financial would create a nearly $2.5 billion-asset bank in northern Virginia with strong mortgage originations and a growing wealth management business. It would provide an endgame for Middleburg while also making Access more appealing to potential buyers.

Ellie Mae has launched the Encompass Lending Platform, allowing customers to integrate external systems and data, and build custom applications in the cloud.

David Stevens, the chief executive and president of the Mortgage Bankers Association, revealed Monday that he has been diagnosed with cancer in prepared remarks at the association's annual conference in Boston.

A title agent's cost for closing a loan increased an average of $210 nationwide in the third quarter because lenders are using disparate processes after implementing the TILA/RESPA integrated disclosures, according to First American.