According to an announcement from the bureau, Lighthouse Title, which operates in branches throughout the state, entered into marketing services agreements (MSAs) with various companies "with the understanding that the companies would refer mortgage closings and title insurance business to Lighthouse."

After giving a soft performance in August, the labor market came back strong last month, knocking the national unemployment rate down below the 6.0 percent mark for the first time in more than six years.

Fannie Mae's book of business shrank in August at its steepest rate in more than a year, according to the company's latest volume summary. The company reported a compounded growth rate of -4.0 percent in its book for August, putting its total value down to $3.1 trillion. It was the ninth straight month of contraction.

JPMorgan Chase reports it has completed nearly a quarter of its consumer relief obligations required under a landmark mortgage-backed securities (MBS) settlement last year. According to a report issued Wednesday by the settlement's monitor, Joseph Smith Jr., the megabank expects to be credited for more than $862 million it provided through various borrower relief measures in the second quarter.

California-based mortgage technology provider Ellie Mae announced Wednesday it has completed its acquisition of AllRegs, one of the industry's leading information companies.

Mortgage services firm LenderLive Network welcomed to its staff Dan Biebel, the company's newest regional account manager.

In its Primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week ending October 2, Freddie Mac reported a minor pullback in the 30-year fixed interest rate to an average 4.19 percent (0.4 point) from last week's 4.20 percent. The average 30-year fixed was also little changed from last year's average rate of 4.22 percent.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Mortgage Credit Availability Index was flat at 116.1 for the month, the group reported Thursday. The gauge is calculated based on borrower eligibility metrics nationwide and underwriting criteria for more than 85 lenders and investors. At its current level, the index points to a slightly looser credit market now compared to when it was benchmarked in March 2012.

In a report on Wednesday, the Commerce Department estimated construction spending for the month of August was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $961.0 billion, a decrease of 0.8 percent from July’s revised estimate of $968.8 billion. The drop included a 0.1 percent falloff in private homebuilding from July, though the much smaller public residential construction category saw a 3.3 percent increase.

In a report earlier this week, online listings site Realtor.com observed a largely steady trend line in housing market indicators in August, with prices leveling out from month to month and limited inventory dipping slightly. Demand was most evident among the country's millennial population. However, with relatively few homes on the market, prices pushing upward, and lending standards still tight, few in that group have been able to make the jump to homeownership.