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The latest Multi-Indicator Market Index (MiMi) from Freddie Mac, released Wednesday, showed that the U.S. housing market showed continued stabilization for the fourth straight month in December. According to the latest MiMi, 38 states plus the District of Columbia and 40 out of 50 metros showed an improving three-month trend in December. The metro areas of Buffalo, Boston, and Nashville, all entered their "benchmark stable" ranges of housing activity.

January saw relatively little change in the number of new home sales from December, according to data released today from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau on new residential home sales in January; however, sales are on the rise from last year.

Most of the complaints boil down to consumer confusion over the terms of a loan. The most common complaint is that borrowers are unable to refinance. Related, many consumers dislike that they cannot change the terms of the loan.

There are approximately 81,000 loans in the portfolio involved in the transaction, according to Ocwen's announcement. The transaction is subject to a definitive agreement as well as approval from Freddie Mac as well as Freddie Mac's conservator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

There’s good news and bad news for January’s existing-home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. On the one hand, sales in January, for the fourth straight month, were ahead of the pace of sales a year ago. On the other hand, existing-home sales in all major regions declined last month to their lowest rate in nine months, with the West and Northeast getting the worst of it.

The Conference Board reported a 0.2 percent month-over-month increase in its Leading Economic Index (LEI), putting the measure at 121.1. The index, which measures early growth signs as a gauge of future economic developments, had increased 0.4 percent in December and 0.3 percent in November.

After four months serving as interim general counsel for the company, Auction.com has named Lee Leslie as EVP and chief legal officer.

The study was conducted authored by Gary Painter, director of USC's Lusk Center for Real Estate, and doctoral candidate Jung Hyun Choi, to determine how long declines in household formation would last following a major economic shock such as a drop in employment that occurred during the recession.

In Colorado, LenderLive Network recently introduced its newest addition: Shana Lakso has joined the company has EVP of operations and client management for its mortgage services units.

U.S. Representative Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), along with U.S. Representative Tim Walz (D-Minnesota), re-introduced the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2015, a bill that would create the position of an independent Inspector General for CFPB.