Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and three other residential servicers agreed to pay $25 million to New York State to resolve certain monetary claims over the use of the MERS database after reaching a $25 billion national settlement on robo-signing charges.

The National Council on Aging has created a new website, http://www.HomeEquityAdvisor.org, to help older adults make informed decisions regarding using their home as a tool to help finance their retirement lifestyle.

Don't count the mortgage brokerage sector out quite yet. Brokers captured 11.4% of the origination market in the fourth quarter, the highest market share reading since the third quarter of 2010, according to exclusive survey figures compiled by National Mortgage News and the Quarterly Data Report.

While home values continue to fall nationwide, rental rates are soaring in many Metropolitan Statistical Areas, according to Zillow’s latest real estate market report.

The never ending refinancing boom appears to be slowing with applications continuing to fall -- but not by much.

A lawsuit filed by the county register of deeds in Guilford County, N.C. Tuesday claims mortgage documents in its records were 'robo-signed' in the name of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. and wants a court to appoint a "Special Master" to determine which documents are fraudulent and require servicers to refile documents.

• Online Origination Tech• Software as a Service• Software Pricing Trends• Q&A with eLynx CEO

Even as plans are announced for a 25th new condominium tower in Hollywood, 4,300 units leftover from the previous condo boom in South Florida remain unsold, according to a new report from the CondoVultures consulting firm.

How much lower would new home sales volumes have been without Uncle Sam's housing finance programs?

Now is the time for servicers to plan ahead with built-in systems that are going to ensure loans are in compliance, because auditors today need proof ahead of conjecture that loans meet rapidly evolving standards.

It would appear that certain politicians - both left and right - look at guarantee fees and say to themselves: Hey, here's a way to raise some revenue and no one will blame us for taxing mortgage lenders. Well, guess again.

Freddie Mac reported a 16% increase in short sales last year and wants to boost the use of this foreclosure alternative by increasing the fees it pays participating servicers.

Mortgage companies cut 3,200 full-time employees from their payrolls in January, according to government figures released Friday morning.

The common themes of control, consistency and transparency targeted by the various new regulations are creating an increased need for more loan channel-agnostic mortgage operations and systems, according to one expert.

Quandis has partnered with technology business provider CSC to offer a new short sale tracking and fulfillment portal for the company’s EarlyResolution default management solution in order to accelerate processing cycles.

On the heels of the much-anticipated release of Apple’s third-generated iPad, an Austin, Texas-based mortgage technology upstart believes the impending launch of its iPad application will be the catalyst for tablet adoption by loan originators.

Mortgage Marvel, which operates a site where consumers are able to shop for mortgage loans and rates while at the same time maintaining their privacy, has made some upgrades to its functionality.

I just read a blog that stopped me in my tracks. It was called, "What If I'm Not Awesome Enough?" I'm going to paraphrase here, but I wanted you to know that awesome is not the primary thing that homebuyers are looking for!

Analysts and company executives are optimistic about Ellie Mae's 2012 prospects after the loan origination system vendor beat internal projections and Wall Street estimates for the fourth quarter and full year 2011.

Home prices fell 1.2% in January, following a 1% decline in December, according to preliminary figures compiled by Lender Processing Services.