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With origination costs on the rise (Ellie Mae cited data from the Mortgage Bankers Association showing the average cost of origination climbing from $2,291 in 2008 to $3,353 in Q3 2012) and more than 350 federal, state, and local laws governing loans, the cost of doing business the right way is a major concern for those companies trying to turn a profit. However, while many of those costs can be measured and predicted, Ellie Mae points to a number of factors that some firms may not have thought about.

According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.57 percent (0.8 point) for the week ending March 28, up from 3.54 percent the previous week. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.99 percent. Bankrate.com reported slight decline in the 30-year fixed average, meanwhile. According to the site's weekly survey, the average 30-year rate fell from 3.78 percent to 3.75 percent in the last week.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance jumped 16,000 to 357,000 for the week ending March 23, the strongest jump since mid-February, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Despite the unexpected bump, initial unemployment claims have fallen for seven of the first 12 weeks of the year, averaging just a shade over 350,000, the number most economists see as the tipping point between a strengthening and weakening jobs market.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose at an annual rate of 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported Thursday. The report, coming just three days before the end of the first quarter, was an improvement over the first two GDP reports that showed the economy contracted by 0.1 percent then improved by 0.1 percent. The main drag on the fourth quarter economy--as it had been in the previous two fourth-quarter reports--continued to be government spending.

USA Wholesale Lending, a recently-created division of Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Hallmark Home Mortgage, is now operating in 20 states and has plans to expand this year.

Residential Finance Corporation, based in Columbus, Ohio, recently announced the launch of its new Purchase Loan Quick Reaction Force, a team dedicated to ensuring mortgage loans close on time.

Home sales for Massachusetts stood at 2,246 in February, down 5 percent from 2,366 sales in February 2012. According to The Warren Group, the yearly decline was the first in the state since December 2011.

Company experts at Nationwide Title Clearing, Inc. (NTC) revealed a trend showing an increase in documents recorded electronically in the nation's Recorders' Offices.

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell to 59.7 from February's reading of 68.0 (which was revised down from 69.6). The decline wipes out most of the gains observed last month and brings the index to its second lowest reading so far this year. According to Lynn Franco, director or economic indicators at The Conference Board, the retreat in consumer confidence was driven primarily by a sharp decline in respondents' economic outlook, "although consumers were also more pessimistic in their assessment of current conditions."

BankersLab announced the launch of another gamified mobile learning app designed to help collections and risk managers stay on top of the latest industry best practices.