Technology

A recent study from Heardable, Inc., revealed that Quicken Loans outpaces its lending competitors in strong branding through digital presence.

Tallying new residential sales for August, the latest report conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development showed a 27.7 percent increase in sales on a year-over-year basis. However, July numbers bested findings from August, with sales flagging 0.3 percent month-to-month. By region, results from the survey revealed that the West and the Northeast have experienced the strongest improvements in the number of new homes sold year-to-date as of August.

Homebuyers in Manhattan have the chance to live like a hip hop mogul, now that P. Diddy has listed his New York City apartment for $8.5 million. Calling it an "entertainer's dream," Zillow reports that the music man transitioned the three-bedroom property into a more open space, turning the pad into a one-bedroom abode with an enormous media and piano room.

The most recent Mortgage Litigation Index showed that legal activity in the industry slowed its pace between the final quarter of 2011 and the opening quarter of 2012. According to figures from the first-quarter of the year, the number of total lawsuits dropped from 244 to 216 between quarters. However, the index indicated that while case activity declined on a quarter-to-quarter basis, legal action was up year-over-year, with litigation related to compliance, loan titles, and whistleblower action displaying especially strong increases.

United Financial Bancorp, Inc., is losing its long-time chief operating officer and executive vice president. The company recently announced that COO and EVP Keith E. Harvey will retire, effective December 31, after having served United Financial for 28 years. United Financial's current chief lending officer (CLO) and EVP, J. Jeffrey Sullivan, will succeed Harvey as COO following his transition at the end of 2012. To fill Sullivan's previous role, United Financial has promoted Charles R. Valade as the bank's new CLO.

Redwood Trust, Inc., is making significant changes to its directorship, recently announcing the departure of current chairman of the board, George E. Bull, III, who officially stepped down from his leadership role on September 18. Following Bull's transition, Redwood unanimously elected Richard D. Baum as the company's new chairman for its board of directors.

Billionaire author J.K. Rowling, writer of the Harry Potter series, has listed her Scottish mansion for $3.7 million. Currently, Rowling owns two estates in Edinburgh.

Prospect Mortgage has been appointed as a new financing partner for Fannie Mae, as the government-sponsored enterprise takes steps to expand its HomePath Mortgage program. Through the collaboration with Fannie, Prospect will now be able to extend funding to borrowers who qualify for the mortgage loan initiative.

Keller Williams Realty, Inc., unveiled that it recently expanded its international franchise into Indonesia and Southern Africa, helping add to the bottom line of one of the nation's largest real estate companies.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell 3,000 to 382,000 for the week ended September 15, the Labor Department reported Thursday, topping market expectations. Economists had predicted a smaller about 373,000 first-time claims. Continuing claims - reported on a one-week lag - dropped 32,000 to 3,272,000 from the prior week's 3,304,000, revised from the originally reported 3,283,000. The report - tracking the nation's unemployment rate and job creation - is compiled based on payroll.