Aspen Grove Solutions announced the addition of Chuck Sockol to its team as VP of industry relations and account management.

In a recent analysis released by Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA), senior managing director Christopher Whalen predicts many metros around the country will see home price appreciation switch to a much slower track—or even decline modestly, in some cases—as the factors directing the momentum of the last few years diminish and fundamental drivers start playing a bigger role.

Compared to August, loan application volumes were down 1 percent in September, macroeconomic research firm Capital Economics reported Wednesday. The decline came even as mortgage rates hovered at an average 4.32 percent for 30-year fixed-rate loans, slightly above August's average and within the 10-basis-point range interest rates have occupied since May.

The Conference Board reported a drop of nearly eight points in its monthly measure of consumer sentiment, putting the group's index at 86 from August's upwardly revised reading of 93.4. Economists had expected a slight nudge upward to 92.5 from an originally reported 92.4 the previous month.

Consulting and analytics firm NewOak announced the addition of a new senior member to its team of leaders. Triet M. Nguyen has been appointed as managing director of the company's Corporate and Municipal Credit Solutions Group.

Experian estimates new mortgage origination volumes totaled $292 billion for the months of April through June, reflecting a 15 percent increase from a slow first quarter. Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) led in gains for the quarter, totaling $35 billion—up 25 percent over the same period last year. Over the last 12 months, HELOC originations totaled $120 billion, marking a 27 percent increase from the prior period.

News Corp, one of the world's biggest mass media companies, is buying online real estate firm Move, Inc., in a $950 million cash deal, the companies announced Tuesday morning.

Including seasonal factors, the S&P/Case-Shiller 10- and 20-city indices both posted a 0.5 percent decline from June to July, S&P Dow Jones Indices reported. Those losses compare to declines of 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively, from May to June. The National Index, recently added as a monthly (rather than quarterly) measure, inched up a meager 0.2 percent, a step up from its 0.1 percent drop in June.

AEI's National Mortgage Risk Index measured 11.3 percent last month, little changed from July's index, the group said. As a stress test, the index measures the percentage of loans that would be at risk of turning sour in the event of an economic downturn. Though the index has come down in recent months, it remains nearly twice the acceptable level "conducive to a stable market," AEI said.

​Refinance activity remained more or less level from June to July, though interest in the government's Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) continued to dwindle, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reported. The falloff in HARP refinancing continues even as the government works to revitalize the program.