Origination

Ocwen made some waves when it announced an agreement to acquire Homeward Residential Holdings in a nearly $750 million deal, but Fitch Ratings is doubtful about the move. The ratings agency announced it has placed Ocwen's "B" long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) on Rating Watch Negative following the financial corporation's announcement.

In September, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) wrote $2.2 billion in primary mortgage insurance.

Homeowners and potential first-time buyers couldn't be tempted by record-low mortgage rates last week, according to the Mortech Inc. and Mortgage Daily's U.S. Mortgage Market Index.

Those who thought they missed their opportunity to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates may not want to let go of hope just yet.

John L. MacFarland is joining Stewart National Title Services as a national business development representative. In his new role, he will work to bring in new commercial business with particular focus on initiating business in the Midwest.

Another major bank took a hit as the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) filed a lawsuit against Credit Suisse Securities.

Rising home values in September brought homeowner equity to its highest level since the third quarter of 2008, according to the Obama administration's latest Housing Scorecard. According to the report, homeowner equity increased $406 billion, or 5.9 percent, to $7.3 trillion in the second quarter of 2012. After experiencing a turnaround into growth in the year's first quarter, total equity has grown $863 billion, or 13.5 percent, since the end of 2011.

Experts across the country wasted no time in responding to Friday's unemployment report, and the responses ranged from celebration to healthy skepticism. As pundits waged a war over the significance of the report, Capital Economics focused its view less on politics and more on its own breakdown of the data, noting that while the growth was modest, the overall report was encouraging. Wall Street also reacted, with banks and construction firms seeing stock upticks.

Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has listed her Los Angeles abode for $9.495 million. Swank has called the expansive estate, located in the city's Pacific Palisades area, home since 2007, when she purchased the property for a reported $5.8 million.

Grand Bank, N.A., has announced that it will be selling its ICON Residential Lenders unit to Rushmore Loan Management Services, according to a recent release. The sale is still subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2012 or the first quarter of 2013.