Texas company Guardian Mortgage Lenders has been honored in its home state for the second consecutive year. Four of Guardian├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós originators were recently named among top mortgage professionals in D Magazine├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós annual list. Loan officers Lynn Hood, Rick Hodges, Marcus McCue, and David Stout ranked in the publication├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós standings, which are nominated and judged by a panel comprised of D Magazine Top DFW Realtors and other residential real estate professionals in the region.

ProTeck Valuation Services and American Mortgage Consultants are teaming up to deliver advanced real estate tools, and ProTeck will now provide real estate valuation and reconciliation via AMC.

The numbers are in, and New York tops the list of states boasting the highest mortgage closing costs nationwide. The results of the Bankrate, Inc. survey demonstrate New York├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós dubious dominance in closing fees for the second straight year. Other high-cost areas rounding out the top five? Texas, Utah, San Francisco, and Idaho. Nationally, the total cost of origination and title fees has risen since last year by 8.8 percent, to an average cost of $4,070 on a $200,000 mortgage.

Tech leaders a la mode and CoreLogic are teaming up. CoreLogic├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós ValuEdge platform will now connect with a la mode├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós Mercury Network to facilitate ValuEdge's Native XML appraisal data. CoreLogic's ValuEdge software targets streamlined appraisal process compliance, and the integrated plugin with a la mode will provide CoreLogic with additional quality control elements and advanced bundling for all reports.

May housing numbers are in for the state of California and numbers look grim. The survey, conducted by the California Assoc. of Realtors, credits the struggling economy and stringent lending standards for the decline.

As consumer advocates and mortgage lenders take to the streets fighting the implementation on the Qualified Residential Mortgage Rule. Potential home buyers were polled to see what they think about coming up with 20 percent for a home. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling shows no improvement on the ability for potential homeowners to raise 20 percent for a down payment from 2010 to 2011.

Freddie Mac is at it again offering another round of the multifamily mortgage-backed securities known as K Certificates. The company expects to offer approximately $538 million in K Certificates (K-AIV Certificates), which are backed by 19 multifamily properties owned by affiliates of Apartment Investment & Management Co. The K Certificates are expected to price this week and settle on or around June 9.

Three is not a crowd at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia who is promoting three employees. [IMAGE] [COLUMN_BREAK] The Philadelphia Fed promoted Constance H. Wallgren to vice president and chief examinations officer in the bank├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós supervision, regulation and credit (SRC) department.

Indiana governor Mitch Daniels is looking to protect Indiana homeowners. Governor Daniels is signing HB 1541 to restrict private transfer fees or Wall Street Home Resale Fees. The new law, sponsored by Indiana State Representative Mike Speedy, places a ban on these fees, which could take away from one├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós home equity, lower home resale values and provide more obstacles to the home buying process.

Home values plummeted more in the first quarter of this year than they have in any quarter since 2008, according to Zillow's first quarter Real Estate Market Report. The Zillow Home Value Index fell 3 percent from the fourth quarter of 2010 and declined 8.2 percent year-over-year to $169,600. Home values have fallen 29.5 percent since they peaked in June 2006.