Technology

Small lenders have reduced their payrolls by 11,000 workers since June.

The real estate brokerage adds that when compared with 2012, the drop-off is not as severe.

These firms believe they will continue to grow their businesses.

Investors are anticipating the Federal Reserve to start its taper program soon and that impacted interest rates during a short week.

There was strong homebuyer demand in all four regions tracked in a government report, surprising many economists who had predicted a slight decline overall.

Independent mortgage bankers’ net income declined 60 basis points between the second and third quarters, Richey May data show. Some penny pinching is in order.

The percentage of U.S. commercial real estate loans that are 30 or more days late has dropped 268 basis points since reaching an all-time high of 10.3% in the summer of 2012.

Appreciation will slow going forward as seasonal factors come into play.

Since the fall of 2011, national property values are up 17%. But in November, quarterly growth was 1.8%, down from the previous quarter’s 3.3% uptick.

An outsourcing services provider is buying a capital markets consultancy for $75 million, and separately a mortgage company is outfitting its new servicing unit with lien-release technology.