Government

A new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reveals consumer finance complaints filed by service members, veterans, and their families steadily rose throughout 2012. The report, released by CFPB's Office of Servicemember Affairs, shows the number of complaints rising steadily each quarter, closing the year at a total of 3,455. Mortgage complaints were by far the most common out of all categories, with a quarterly average of 52.3 percent of complaints focused on home finance products.

Pacific Union Financial, LLC, announced the addition of two new sales executives to their wholesale and correspondent lending teams.

The economy added 165,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate dropped to 7.5.percent, its lowest level since December 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Friday. Economists had forecast payrolls would grow by 153,000, and that the unemployment rate would remain at 7.6 percent.

The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association of the land title insurance industry, announced it has achieved all-time record membership for the fourth consecutive year.

Texas' real estate market experienced a healthy first quarter, picking up right where 2012 left off, the Texas Association of Realtors revealed in its latest Quarterly Housing Report.

The Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) wrapped up its annual Global Summit this week with greater confidence in the U.S. housing market and in opportunities to facilitate global real estate business.

A Philadephia-based real estate developer and mortgage lender announced the launch of what he hopes will become "the YouTube for homebuyers."

First-time claims for unemployment insurance for the week ending April 27 dropped 18,000 to 324,000, the lowest level in more than five years, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected claims to increase to 354,000 initial claims. Initial jobless claims for the week ending April 20 were revised up to 344,000 from the originally reported 342,000.

ZVN Properties, Inc., operating out of Ohio, welcomed David Dolan as COO. With nearly three decades of experience in all facets of banking, lending, and mortgage field servicing, Dolan has worked to transform both private and publicly held businesses through his leadership, industry knowledge, and consumer insight.

Freddie Mac announced the launch of Loan Quality Advisor, a new online loan tool designed to give lenders an automated way to identify credit, data, and purchase eligibility issues.