Headlines

According to figures released Thursday by Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.80 percent (0.6 point) for the week ending December 18, down 13 basis points from last week's survey. Last year, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.47 percent.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Rick Hill has been promoted to VP of industry technology, the group announced.

The possibility of a high return on investment has given institutional investors the opportunity and motivation to cash out, RealtyTrac says in a new report. To examine the return on investment institutional investors could receive by selling off now, the company analyzed more than 200,000 purchases made by institutional investors made in the last few years.

In its last outlook of the year, Freddie Mac looked back at five key consensus predictions for 2014, how they fared, and how they will affect housing and the economy next year. In addition to home sales, the four other areas examined were mortgage originations, home values, rental market, and mortgage rates.

In a policy statement released following the last 2014 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the central bank reaffirmed its view that the economy is expanding at a "moderate pace," pointing to continued improvements in the labor market tempered by still-high numbers of unemployed and underemployed Americans and slower growth in the housing sector.

Henderson, Nevada-based real estate technology company RIO Genesis Software Solutions, Inc., announced the hiring of industry veteran Jaysen Greenleaf as VP of business development.

Nationwide appraisal provider MCS Valuations (MCSV), LLC, has strengthened its management team to emphasize the company's focus on quality assurance and compliance, according to an announcement.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) survey of mortgage activity shows application volumes fell 3.3 percent for the week ending December 12. Taking out adjustments for seasonal influences, application numbers were down 4 percent week-over-week.

The internal review group for the New York-based megabank asserted in the third Chase Consumer Relief Update, compiled by monitor Joseph A. Smith Jr., that Chase has earned $2.2 billion in consumer relief credit from the period of October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014.

In its predictions for 2015, Moody's says stronger underwriting standards, third-party reviews, and the implementation of risk retention rules will all bolster the credit quality of new private-label RMBS. "New regulations setting strict standards for origination of qualified mortgages along with ability-to-repay rules will drive the strong credit quality of new issuance," said Navneet Agarwhal, managing director at Moody's.