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When famed news anchor and 60 Minutes star Mike Wallace passed away earlier this year, the nation mourned the loss of the media legend. However, Wallace's many fans recently got the opportunity to learn more about his life off camera, when his Manhattan duplex hit the open market for a lofty $20 million earlier this month.

August home prices across the United States were up an average 4.6 percent since the start of the year, according to data from Lender Processing Services' (LPS) Applied Analytics division. LPS' Home Price Index, which reflects transacted sales rather than recorded sales, revealed that the average U.S. home price increased to $205,000 in August, up 0.2 percent from July. The average home price in August 2011 was $199,000, or 2.6 percent less than this year's reading. The most recent price increase brings the HPI up 4.6 percent from January 2012.

Mortgage applications fell 12 percent for the week ending October 19, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

In a US Housing Market Update released by the firm, analyst and property economist Paul Diggle notes that while "a substantial overhang of properties still in the shadow inventory" will keep distressed sellers in the market, the peak in distressed supply appears to be well behind us, giving homebuilders more room to grow with less competition from discounted homes. In addition, short sales--typically sold at a smaller discount--have been gaining traction as foreclosure sales drop, creating "less of a depressing influence on the new-build market."

Patton Boggs is welcoming back a former partner, announcing that Todd R. Harrison has rejoined the firm's litigation and dispute resolution practice group. Harrison is headed back to Patton Boggs after departing in 2011 to serve as chief counsel for oversight and investigations on the energy and commerce committee for the U.S. House of Representatives.

An executive from Churchill Mortgage recently received recognition from The Nashville Business Journal. Matthew C. Clarke, Churchill's CFO and COO, was a finalist in this year's CFO Awards, which recognize leading CFOs from corporations in Middle Tennessee.

Mortgage rate movement last week was "so slight it was almost nonexistent," according to data from Freddie Mac and Bankrate.com.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) rose ever so slightly in September, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday, tempering the much-heralded housing sector revival. The Index inched up to 99.5, an improvement of 0.3 percentage points over August's 99.2. Economists had expected the index to jump 2.5 percent to 101.7.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell 23,000 to 369,000 for the week ended October 20, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected initial claims to fall to 372,000. The initial claims report has been unusually volatile for the last month with wide swings in the seasonal adjustment factors used by the Labor Department to "normalize" the data. However, the factor used for this week's report was virtually the same as the factor used a week ago, suggesting the sharp drop in claims reflects a truer reading of the labor market.

Churchill Mortgage has delivered more than 60,000 free educational homeownership and financing guides to thousands of consumers all over the United States, the company announced.