Originations

The regional banks are repurchasing excess stock and increasing dividends.

Ellie Mae in Pleasanton, Calif., reported a rise in second-quarter profits compared to last year, boosted by sales of its mortgage origination software.

If finalized and then approved by regulators, the combination of the Des Moines and Seattle Home Loan banks would be the first voluntary merger in the system’s history.

Mortgage rates held steady over the past week, remaining near their lowest levels for the year, according to Freddie Mac.

Home price gains have caused borrowers to turn to second liens to access cash for home improvement or other needs as higher interest rates damp first lien originations.

Over the long haul, ignoring online leads is going to make it difficult for retail lenders to survive, since recent studies clearly show more and more borrowers are finding their lenders online.

Mortgage application volume decreased from the previous week as refinances fell but purchase activity rose slightly.

Equifax Inc. has created a new Verification of Hazard Insurance service for mortgage and home equity lenders.

Customer relationship management technology and new regulations require lenders and loan officers to re-evaluate how they manage the ownership and use of lead sheets.

The homeownership rate in the U.S. fell to a 19-year low as rising prices and tight credit kept many first-time buyers out of the property market.

Manhattan Bridge Capital said it will price up to 1.75 million shares of common stock for sale through a public offering at $2.85 per share.

Interest rates for mortgages over $417,000 have fallen 11 basis points during the past six weeks, driven by competition among banks to win the mortgage business of wealthy, less risky borrowers and in turn, make them customers of other financial products.

Residential real estate prices rose in the 12 months ended May at the slowest pace in more than a year as a lull in the U.S. housing market limits appreciation.

A simple follow up email can be a winning strategy in a highly competitive mortgage originations market.

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers has entered into a two-year training partnership with Radian Guaranty.

In June the unpaid principal balance of Freddie Mac's total mortgage portfolio declined 2.6% from a year earlier, to $1.89 trillion, as total purchases shrank by almost half.

Independent Bank Corp. reported lower second-quarter earnings as income related to mortgages fell dramatically.

The CFPB and other regulators are showing an increasing appetite for big data. The HMDA database may be the biggest in the mortgage business and a preview of the upcoming dataset may give lenders a chance to stay one step ahead of the feds.

Patrick Sinks is taking the reins at MGIC as the mortgage insurer faces tougher capital standards and a more competitive field where his company is no longer No. 1.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requests data that if used too zealously could cause a massive restriction in the market and a reduction in the type and amount of lenders.