Technology

Here's a preview of some of the most interesting and important presentations scheduled at this year's MBA Servicing Conference, as selected by the editors of National Mortgage News.

Lenders saw the highest amount of refinancing activity since 2013 in January, according to Ellie Mae.

Mortgage rates for 30-year loans rose to a seven-week high, increasing borrowing costs from close to historic lows.

Consulting firm Teraverde Management Advisors has formed a new business unit to help clients grapple with their compliance requirements.

Home sales in January were lower than a year earlier due to tight inventory and higher home prices, according to Re/Max.

To take advantage of changing customer demographics and preferences, lenders must capitalize on digital technology. At the same time, digital technology should work in conjunction with, not as a replacement for, the loan officer.

As a deep freeze grips parts of America in a typically slow season for housing, first-time buyers are flocking to Redfin Corp.'s property tours and classes, signaling their renewed interest in the market.

Rent prices continue to surge like a red tide in the Tampa Bay area — something few welcome.

Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven, Conn.-based DataCore Partners, cautioned against reading too much into the decline in home sales when comparing 2014 to 2013.

Builders broke ground on fewer residential construction projects in January as demand for single-family homes cooled from an almost seven-year high, signaling the rebound in housing remains uneven.