Data

National home prices will rise 4.8 percent over the next year, according to a third-quarter forecast from Veros Real Estate Solutions, a risk management, valuation services, and analytics firm based in Santa Ana, California. Regionally, Veros predicts continued strengthening in the West and a lag in the Northeast and parts of the South. The top 10 markets labeled by Veros' forecast are all located in Western states: Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

The StoneHill Group, which offers mortgage quality control, due diligence, compliance audits, and more, has hired Stephen M. Witters as system administrator.

Fiserv, Inc., a provider of technology solutions for the financial services industry, says lenders and servicers seeking help to maintain compliance should look no further than the LoanComplete suite.

CredAbility and ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions announced Tuesday that they have agreed to merge effective December 31, 2013.

Though recent reports seem to indicate a hitch in the ongoing housing recovery, Fitch Ratings maintains its expectations of a healthy increase in housing metrics through this year and the next. "As we have noted previously, recovery in the housing market will likely occur in fits and starts and housing absolute numbers are still low relative to past cycles," the company said in its latest analysis. "Expansion should not be expected as a total slope upward, as there are a number of variables that intervene."

MortgageDocs, a national mobile notary signing service headquartered in California, announced the launch of myMortgageDocs, the company's new proprietary signing management platform for notaries, lenders, title, and escrow companies.

STRATMOR Group, a Georgia-based consulting firm specializing in all aspects of mortgage lending, promoted Lisa Springer to COO.

Using weekly data released by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), Capital Economics economist Paul Diggle calculated a 7.7 percent drop in mortgage applications from August to September.

Most economists agreed that the broader effects of the shutdown should be minimal, assuming that the shutdown is short-lived.

In Connecticut, Norcom Mortgage welcomed Mary Downing to the team as its newest wholesale account executive.