News

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Friday jobs report shows another disappointing month of growth in January—and this one can’t all be blamed on the weather. With the next Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting to be held in March, it remains to be seen how January’s data will influence the Federal Reserve’s stimulus program.

ShortSave, Inc., announced Tuesday a new application aimed at shortening the time for a one-lien short sale or loan modification transaction. The average short sale takes 165 days, a time period ShortSave anticipates being able to cut to a paltry 36 days. The application is projected to save a non-performing note investor $1,200-1,800 in lost interest on an average loan.

While "tech hub" metros have experienced elevated price gains compared to the rest of the nation, a recent analysis from Trulia chief economist Jed Kolko argues that the two may have little to do with one another. Rather, tech hubs "had steeper price declines during the bust and have fewer homes stuck in foreclosure today–and both of those factors are driving the current price rebound."

The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act's (MFDRA) expiration may lead to negative pressure on liquidation timelines and recoveries for legacy U.S. mortgage investors if the act is not renewed, according to Fitch Ratings. Recently expired as of January 1, the ...

About four years after the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) directed the GSEs to develop a uniform collateral data portal, the Office of the Inspector General of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA OIG) finds the portal is not being used to its potential, and the GSEs continue to purchase loans with red flags.

National Field Network (NFN), a field service, property preservation, and REO management firm with headquarters in New Jersey, announced the addition of multiple new leaders to its team.

In its weekly published Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 4.23 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending February 6, down from 4.32 percent previously. Meanwhile, Bankrate reported a drop of 7 basis points in the 30-year fixed average to 4.43 percent, with the 15-year fixed falling 6 points to 3.50 percent.

The number of homes sold for more than $1 million in California increased 45.1 percent in 2013 against 2012, according to real estate information service DataQuick. Last year, 39,175 homes sold over the million dollar mark versus 2012's 26,993 homes. Of those homes, 10,602 were bought with cash. Those homes that were financed in this price bracket had a median down payment of 30 percent.

Potestivo & Associates announced the hiring of foreclosure attorney Anuolu Fasoranti. Fasoranti joins the team as an associate attorney, primarily working with the firm's foreclosure department.

The Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) announced Tuesday that Robert Ilunga, of Naugatuck, Connecticut, was sentenced last Friday to 18 months in federal prison for operating a multimillion-dollar mortgage fraud scheme. Ilunga will serve three years of supervised release upon his release from prison.