News

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.

The Independent Bankers of America (ICBA) outlined its regulatory priorities for this year at the National Convention and Techworld in Las Vegas earlier this month. The organization addressed several industry reforms and pending regulations it asserts will negatively and unfairly impact community banks. For example, ICBA suggests any financial institution with $50 billion or less in assets be exempt from Basel III. Likewise, the group argues community banks should be exempt from new lending and servicing reforms.

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.

FHFA-OIG released an audit report examining oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's monitoring of businesses that sell and service loans.

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.

The housing recovery may be fast approaching a wall as well-located finished building lots become scarce, Fitch Ratings says in a recent analysis.

New home sales fell 4.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000 in February, the sharpest drop in two years, the Census Bureau and HUD reported Tuesday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected a smaller drop to 425,000 from January's originally reported sales of 437,000. January sales were revised down to 431,000. The sharp drop in sales combined with a steep price increase suggests builders are facing some price pushback from buyers for new homes even as supplies of existing single-family homes remain at historic lows.