Origination

The National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Housing Market Index (HMI)--a measure of builder confidence--increased again in August, climbing three points to 59, its highest reading since November 2005, the group reported Thursday. The index has improved 15 points (34 percent) in the last three months. Economists had expected the August index to slip to 56 from July's originally reported 57. The strong August numbers--following the strong June and July reading--gave further evidence to a recovery in the housing sector.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance for the week ending August 10 fell to the lowest level since January 2008, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The department said there were 320,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a drop of 15,000 from the previous week. Economists expected the number of claims to drop to 330,000 from the 333,000 originally reported for the week ending August 3. The number of filings for that week was revised to 335,000.

Freddie Mac found that among refinances in the second quarter, 79 percent of homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) switched to fixed-rate loans.

In Texas, Pacific Union Financial, LLC hired Tim Wagner as SVP of marketing. Wagner joins the company from Nationstar Mortgage, where he was VP of marketing. There, he directed the integrated and ecommerce marketing teams, supporting all corporate, servicing, and originations decisions.

While rising home prices across the nation may be good news as they imply recovering markets, the trend may dampen housing affordability.

Production and profitability both increased among independent mortgage bankers last quarter, though commissions continue to decline, according to a quarterly trend report released by Richey May & Co. The quarterly benchmarking survey--put together using the company's Richey May Select analytical technology--shows overall production increased among independent mortgage banks by 11 percent from the first quarter to the second.

In an effort to streamline the mortgage insurance application process, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) introduced several changes to its underwriting guidelines.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey, loan application volume decreased 4.7 percent for the week ending August 9.

Home inventories continue to decline in many markets across the country, but the pace of those declines appears to be slowing, which may in turn slow price appreciation in some markets, according to Realtor.com. National housing inventory declined 5.24 percent year-over-year in July, which is a slowdown from the 16.47 percent year-over-year decline reported in January. At the same time, the number of markets with declining inventory year-over-year decreased to 118 in July.

FirstREX, a real estate equity finance firm operating out of San Francisco, has brought on Don Shewmaker and Jim McGuire to help the company meet growing demand for its down payment funding program, REX HomeBuyer.