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		<title>DSNews.com Article Feed</title> 
		<link>http://www.dsnews.com</link> 
		<description>DSNews.com was conceived as the online counterpart to DS News (formerly REO Magazine),the default mortgage servicing industry's monthly media voice in print. Designed to be the industry's first news bureau and premier online destination, DSNews.com delivers up-to-the-minute news, daily broadcasts and a complete range of industry resources.</description> 
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			<title>DSNews.com Article Feed</title> 
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			<title>RE/MAX Reports Double-Digit Yearly Gains in Sales, Prices in May</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/re-max-reports-double-digit-yearly-gains-in-sales-prices-may-2013-06-19</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:20:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/re-max-reports-double-digit-yearly-gains-in-sales-prices-may-2013-06-19</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[After staging a turnaround last year, the housing market is continuing on the road to stabilization in 2013, RE/MAX said in its National Housing Report for May. Of the 52 metros surveyed last month, 45 reported higher sales than May 2012, with 30 posting double-digit gains. For all homes sold in May, the median price was $185,000, a 4.2 percent gain over April and a 10.8 percent increase over May 2012. Reduced inventory continues to be a concern, however, though recent monthly changes have been promising.]]></description> 
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			<title>St. Louis County in Minnesota Steps into E-Recording with Simplifile</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/st-louis-county-in-minnesota-transitions-into-e-recording-through-simplifile-2013-06-19</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:31:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/st-louis-county-in-minnesota-transitions-into-e-recording-through-simplifile-2013-06-19</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[St. Louis County in Minnesota shed the traditional method of paper-based recording to adopt e-recording through Simplifile.]]></description> 
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			<title>PennyMac Integrates Quandis Solution to Automate Short Sale Process</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/pennymac-integrates-quandis-solution-to-automate-short-sale-process-2013-06-19</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:38:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/pennymac-integrates-quandis-solution-to-automate-short-sale-process-2013-06-19</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[PennyMac Financial Servicers Inc. is implementing a web-based solution from Quandis Inc. to make the short sale process more efficient.]]></description> 
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			<title>Settlement Monitor: Servicers Need to Address Loan Mod, SPOC Issues</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/settlement-monitor-servicers-still-need-to-address-loan-mod-spoc-issues-2013-06-19</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:02:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/settlement-monitor-servicers-still-need-to-address-loan-mod-spoc-issues-2013-06-19</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[After testing compliance among the five servicers part of the $25 billion national mortgage settlement, monitor Joseph A. Smith concluded more works needs to be done since issues with the loan modification process, providing a single point of contact, and customer records still persist. Under the settlement, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, and Ally Financial agreed to adopt some 300 servicing standards. To test compliance with the servicing standards, the monitor retained outside firms to test the servicers in 29 metrics.]]></description> 
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			<title>Consumer Advocates: HECMs Need Revisions to Prevent Defaults</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/consumer-advocates-hecms-need-revisions-to-prevent-defaults-foreclosures-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:48:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/consumer-advocates-hecms-need-revisions-to-prevent-defaults-foreclosures-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) and reverse mortgages, tools to which many seniors turn to help manage expenses in their later years, can be challenging products to navigate, according to testimonies delivered during a Senate committee hearing Tuesday morning. While the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers changes to the HECM program, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs held a hearing to determine the best path forward for the program.]]></description> 
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			<title>CFPB to Grow Staff Over Next Two Years to Meet Goals</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/cfpb-to-grow-staff-in-next-two-years-meet-goals-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:27:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/cfpb-to-grow-staff-in-next-two-years-meet-goals-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) plans to grow its staff in order to meet its strategic goals and stay in compliance with its mandate to protect consumers, according to a written testimony from Stephen Agostini, CFO at the bureau. Agostini, who gave testimony before the House Financial Services Committee Tuesday, stated that over the next two fiscal years, CFPB expects its staff to increase from 1,214 employees in the Fiscal Year 2013 to 1,545 employees in 2014.]]></description> 
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			<title>ServiceLink Unveils MERS Reconciliation and Resolution Program</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/servicelink-unveils-mers-reconciliation-and-resolution-program-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:39:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/servicelink-unveils-mers-reconciliation-and-resolution-program-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[ServiceLink, an end-to-end origination, servicing and default solutions provider for mortgage lenders and servicers, introduced a program to monitor and manage data from the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS).]]></description> 
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			<title>Commercial, Multifamily Debt Declines in Q1</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/commercial-multifamily-debt-declines-in-q1-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:18:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/commercial-multifamily-debt-declines-in-q1-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding decreased for the first time in five quarters during the first quarter of this year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The 0.2 percent decline, which translated to $4.9 billion, left the nation's total commercial and multifamily mortgage debt at $2.41 trillion at the end of the quarter.]]></description> 
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			<title>Rising Rates Will Reduce Demand, but Won't Eliminate Affordability</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/rising-rates-may-reduce-demand-but-wont-eliminate-affordability-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:53:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/rising-rates-may-reduce-demand-but-wont-eliminate-affordability-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The increase in mortgage rates coupled with rising home prices may dampen demand, but the recent upward movement in rates is not enough to make housing unaffordable to median income earners, according to Freddie Mac's economic and housing outlook for June. In fact, the GSE's analysis showed mortgage rates would have to climb to nearly 7 percent before a median priced home is no longer affordable to median income earners in most parts of the country.]]></description> 
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			<title>Institutions Face Greater Regulatory, Risk Management Pressures</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/survey-banks-credit-unions-face-increasing-regulatory-risk-management-pressures-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:33:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/survey-banks-credit-unions-face-increasing-regulatory-risk-management-pressures-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[From new regulations to increasing fines, financial institutions--both large and small--reported feeling more squeezed by compliance and risk management pressures since the start of the year, according to survey results from Wolters Kluwer Financial Services. In January, the Indicator began with a baseline score of 100 after the company surveyed 400 banks and credit unions. After surveying 430 similar institutions in April, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services reported a score of 136.]]></description> 
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			<title>Single-Family Starts Flat Despite Confidence Surge</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/single-family-starts-barely-budge-despite-confidence-surge-2013-06-18</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:29:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/single-family-starts-barely-budge-despite-confidence-surge-2013-06-18</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[One day after the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported the sharpest boost in builder confidence in seven years, the Census Bureau and HUD reported single-family starts were essentially flat in May, increasing just 0.3 percent. The Census/HUD report Tuesday showed total starts improved 6.8 percent in May, while total permits fell 3.1 percent.]]></description> 
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			<title>Firefly Legal Supervisor Appointed Treasurer of ILAPPS</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/firefly-legal-supervisor-appointed-treasurer-of-ilapps-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:38:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/firefly-legal-supervisor-appointed-treasurer-of-ilapps-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Firefly Legal, a nationwide civil process service company, announced Randy Mucha, the company's civil process supervisor, was named treasurer of the Illinois Association of Professional Process Servers (ILAPPS).]]></description> 
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			<title>Fed Report: Housing Market in Texas Poised for Growth</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fed-report-housing-market-in-texas-poised-for-growth-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:51:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fed-report-housing-market-in-texas-poised-for-growth-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The steady influx of out-of-state transplants, along with stronger than average employment growth, should keep the housing and apartment sectors in Texas strong, a report from the Dallas Federal Reserve concluded. Using data from the Census Bureau, the report authors D'Ann Petersen and Christina Daly pointed out that Texas is the No. 1 state for domestic in-migration. From July 2011 to July 2012, the Long Star state saw a net 140,888 new arrivals when excluding births or international migration.]]></description> 
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			<title>Home Prices, Sales Spike in 19 Major Metros in May</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/home-prices-sales-surge-in-19-major-metros-inventory-on-rise-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:29:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/home-prices-sales-surge-in-19-major-metros-inventory-on-rise-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Gains in home prices and sales surged in May, while inventory increased for the second straight month, according to Redfin. In May, home prices surged 17.4 percent year-over-year, while prices in all 19 markets tracked showed yearly gains. At the same time, home sales climbed by 15.8 percent from April to May, reaching their highest level since January 2010. Although for-sale housing inventory decreased 21.9 percent year-over-year, Redfin reported inventory inched up by 4.3 percent from April to May.]]></description> 
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			<title>NTC Encourages Widespread Adoption of eRecording</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/ntc-encourages-widespread-adoption-of-erecording-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:29:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/ntc-encourages-widespread-adoption-of-erecording-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[As the industry continues to adapt to new regulations and best practices, electronic recording--eRecording--is taking hold as a way to streamline the records process and free up resources at lending and servicing offices, according to Palm Harbor, Florida-based Nationwide Title Clearing, Inc. The volume of documents recorded electronically by NTC over the past year has grown from 10 percent to 45 percent. According to NTC, 840 jurisdictions have approved eRecording for mortgage documents thus far.]]></description> 
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			<title>New Online Freddie Mac Tool Helps Homeowners Navigate Relief Options</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/new-online-freddie-mac-tool-helps-homeowners-navigate-relief-options-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:07:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/new-online-freddie-mac-tool-helps-homeowners-navigate-relief-options-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[For homeowners facing a financial hardship, sometimes it can be difficult to know exactly what options might be available. To help homeowners get a better idea of what is out there, Freddie Mac released the Mortgage Help Navigator, a new online tool that assists homeowners with finding out what relief options might be applicable for them in their specific situation.]]></description> 
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			<title>Report: Risk of Mortgage Default at Lowest Level in Nearly 10 Years</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/report-risk-of-mortgage-default-nears-10-year-low-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:23:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/report-risk-of-mortgage-default-nears-10-year-low-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The risk of default for more recently originated mortgages is close to levels seen 10 years ago, according to the findings from the University Financial Associates (UFA) of Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the second quarter of this year, the UFA Default Risk Index stood at 106, up from 97 in the previous quarter. Between 2006 and 2008, the index peaked well above 200. "These readings on the Index are the lowest in almost 10 years, but we may not be able to declare the mortgage crisis over yet," said Dennis Capozza, business professor at the University of Michigan and a founding principal of UFA.]]></description> 
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			<title>Builder Confidence Surges to 7-Year High in June</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/may-builder-coinfidence-surges-to-7-year-high-2013-06-17</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:56:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/may-builder-coinfidence-surges-to-7-year-high-2013-06-17</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Builder confidence surged eight points in June to 52, its highest reading since March 2006, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported Monday. It was the first positive (above 50) reading for the association’s Housing Market Index (HMI) since April 2006. Two of the three components of the index--builder assessment of current sales and of sales six months in the future--were also positive. The current sales index rose eight points to 56, and the future sales index jumped nine points to 61.]]></description> 
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			<title>Wells Fargo Borrowers Pay off $50M in Principal Using Home Rebate Card</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/wells-fargo-borrowers-pay-off-50m-in-principal-using-home-rebate-card-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:00:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/wells-fargo-borrowers-pay-off-50m-in-principal-using-home-rebate-card-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Wells Fargo's Home Rebate Card has allowed its mortgage customers to pay down a total of $50 million from their loan balances so far. ]]></description> 
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			<title>OCC: 2.7M Foreclosure Review Checks Cashed Out of the 3.9M Sent</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/occ-27m-foreclosure-review-checks-cashed-out-of-39m-sent-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:25:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/occ-27m-foreclosure-review-checks-cashed-out-of-39m-sent-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced more than 2.7 million foreclosure review checks have been cashed or deposited as of June 13. The cashed checks are valued at $2.4 billion and are part of a foreclosure review settlement reached between federal regulators and 13 servicers.]]></description> 
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			<title>Commentary: Eminent Digression</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/commentary-eminent-digression-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:20:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/commentary-eminent-digression-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[In a newly published paper posted on the New York Federal Reserve website, Robert Hockett, a Cornell University professor of financial and monetary law, proposes using government's eminent domain authority as a solution to underwater mortgage debt. In reviewing Hockett's suggestion, the Wall Street Journal concentrated not on the idea itself, but on the fact that Hockett "turns out to have been on the payroll of none other than Mortgage Resolution Partners." There may be a lot of good reasons to discard Hockett's suggestion, but his past relationships are not among them. His idea deserves a fair hearing, not a digression.]]></description> 
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			<title>Median Home Price in California at Highest Level Since April 2008</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/median-home-price-in-california-at-highest-level-since-april-2008-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:29:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/median-home-price-in-california-at-highest-level-since-april-2008-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[In May, the median price for a home in California rose year-over-year for the  15th straight month, climbing to highest  level since April 2008, DataQuick reported. At $340,000, the median price was up 4.9 percent from April and up 25.9 percent from May 2012.]]></description> 
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			<title>Xactware Releases New Version of Repair Cost Estimator Tool</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/xactware-releases-new-version-of-repair-cost-estimator-tool-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:45:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/xactware-releases-new-version-of-repair-cost-estimator-tool-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Xactware, based in Orem, Utah, rolled out a new version of its repair cost estimator, XactPRM. 
The tool is a cloud-based application that assists with estimating and managing costs related to property preservation repairs.]]></description> 
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			<title>Ocwen Agrees to Buy $78B in MSRs from OneWest</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/ocwen-enters-deal-with-onewest-to-buy-78b-in-msrs-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:51:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/ocwen-enters-deal-with-onewest-to-buy-78b-in-msrs-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Ocwen Loan Servicing, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ocwen Financial Corporation, has entered into an agreement to purchase $78 billion in mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) from OneWest Bank. According to a filing made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the aggregate purchase price for the MSRs will be approximately $2.53 billion, with $446 million paid in respect of the MSRs and approximately $2.1 billion to be paid in respect of the servicing advances.]]></description> 
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			<title>Are Mortgage Rates Too Low to Threaten the Recovery?</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mortgage-rates-still-too-low-to-pose-real-risk-recovery-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:31:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mortgage-rates-still-too-low-to-pose-real-risk-recovery-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The recent rise in mortgage rates is not enough to pose any real threat to the housing recovery, but that's not to say the increase doesn't come with any risk, according to a recent analysis from Capital Economics. To put things into perspective, Ed Stansfield, chief property economist at Capital Economics, noted that on a long-term view, rates are still "exceptionally low" as they return to levels seen in late 2011 and early 2012. However, 18 months ago, when mortgage rates hovered around the levels seen today, "house prices were at best flat, if not still edging lower, while the recovery in housing sales was very much in its infancy," Capital Economics stated.]]></description> 
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			<title>Foreclosure Sales in West Down in May; Likely to Increase in June</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/foreclosure-sales-in-west-down-may-likely-to-increase-june-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:12:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/foreclosure-sales-in-west-down-may-likely-to-increase-june-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Foreclosure sales decreased in all five Western states tracked by PropertyRadar--Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington--over the month of May. PropertyRadar attributes the decreases in foreclosure sales to new guidance from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The guidance established minimum standards for handling borrower files subject to a foreclosure sale within 60 days. In California, foreclosure sales from Citi were down 50 percent, and foreclosure sales from Wells Fargo were down 75 percent over the month of May in California, according to PropertyRadar.]]></description> 
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			<title>Fannie Mae: Economy on Path to Normal Growth</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fannie-mae-economy-on-path-to-normal-growth-2013-06-14</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:49:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fannie-mae-economy-on-path-to-normal-growth-2013-06-14</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The recovery should pick up the pace as it heads into the year's second half, according to Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research Group. Based on data for Q1 and predicted numbers for Q2, Fannie Mae expects gross domestic product (GDP) to grow at an average 1.8 percent for the first half of the year. GDP growth is then expected to push past 2.5 percent in 2014, "boosted largely by tailwinds from the strengthening housing market," said Doug Duncan, chief economist for Fannie Mae.]]></description> 
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			<title>Auction.com Adds Online Research Center</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/auctioncom-adds-online-research-center-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:48:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/auctioncom-adds-online-research-center-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Auction.com announced the launch of an online market research division. The Auction.com Research Center provides a range of free reports based on macro, commercial, and residential research.]]></description> 
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			<title>Mortgage Master Opens 7th Connecticut Location</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mortgage-master-opens-connecticut-location-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:14:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mortgage-master-opens-connecticut-location-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Mortgage Master, one of the nation's largest privately owned mortgage companies, announced the opening of a new retail branch location to serve Connecticut's Greater Hartford area.]]></description> 
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			<title>FHFA: GSEs Rated as 'Critical Concerns' in 2012 Report to Congress</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fhfa-gses-still-critical-concerns-but-earnings-improve-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:40:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fhfa-gses-still-critical-concerns-but-earnings-improve-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) labeled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as critical concerns in the composite rating category for 2012. The assessment, which was part of the agency's fifth annual Report to Congress, was unchanged from the rating assigned in 2011. In the earnings category, the GSEs were rated as "significant concerns," an upgrade from the "critical concerns" rating in 2011.]]></description> 
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			<title>Inventory Situation Improves in June Compared to Start of 2013</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/inventory-situation-improves-compared-to-start-of-2013-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:38:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/inventory-situation-improves-compared-to-start-of-2013-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[While the number of for-sale listings nationwide remains down from last year, June saw a promising lift compared to the start of this year, Zillow revealed in a new report. The overall number of listings on Zillow was down 12.2 percent year-over-year at the start of June, an improvement from the 17.5 percent shortfall recorded in January--in other words, Zillow explained, the inventory of for-sale homes has improved 5.3 percentage points year-to-date. Overall, annual inventory levels improved in June compared to January in 70 metros.]]></description> 
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			<title>Freddie Mac: Fixed Rates Climb, 30-Year Close to 4%</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/freddie-mac-30-year-fixed-rate-nears-4-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:32:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/freddie-mac-30-year-fixed-rate-nears-4-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Mortgage rates continued to climb this week, but the near-term future is going to depend on how the Federal Reserve reacts. According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.98 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending June 13, up from 3.91 percent last week. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.71 percent. The 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.10 percent (0.7 point), up from 3.03 percent in the last survey.]]></description> 
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			<title>DataQuick Outlines Five Best Practices to Fight Short Sale Fraud</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/dataquick-outlines-five-best-practices-to-fight-short-sale-fraud-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:52:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/dataquick-outlines-five-best-practices-to-fight-short-sale-fraud-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[As long as short sales remain a common strategy to handle distressed properties, related fraudulent activity should also be expected. To help lenders, servicers, and investors develop tactics to combat the more common occurrence of short sale fraud, DataQuick outlined five solutions as starting points. The first is to understand activity levels to pinpoint markets with the greatest potential for fraud. Over the past two years, DataQuick identified 205,177 short sales in 14 of the largest counties.]]></description> 
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			<title>Autos Boost May Retail Sales</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/autos-boost-may-retail-sales-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:06:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/autos-boost-may-retail-sales-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Driven by stronger auto sales but held back by falling gasoline sales, total retail sales increased 0.6 percent in May, the Census Bureau reported Thursday. Economists had expected sales to increase 0.5 percent. In April, retail sales rose 0.1 percent. 


]]></description> 
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			<title>Monthly Increase in REOs Drives Up Foreclosure Activity in May</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/monthly-increase-in-reos-drives-up-foreclosure-activity-may-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:46:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/monthly-increase-in-reos-drives-up-foreclosure-activity-may-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[After posting a 75-month low in April, foreclosure filings increased 2 percent in May, according to RealtyTrac. The rise was primarily driven by an 11 percent increase in REOs over the month. However, REOs demonstrated a 29 percent decline year-over-year in May, while foreclosure filings fell 28 percent over the same time period. "Foreclosure activity continued to bounce back in some markets where it may have appeared the foreclosure problem had been knocked out by an aggressive combination of foreclosure prevention efforts over the past two years," said Daren Blomquist, VP at RealtyTrac.]]></description> 
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			<title>First-Time Jobless Filings Continue Down</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/1st-time-jobless-filings-resume-downward-move-2013-06-13</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:00:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/1st-time-jobless-filings-resume-downward-move-2013-06-13</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[First time claims for unemployment insurance fell to 334,000, for week ended June 8, the lowest level in a month dropping 12,000 after increasing 13,000 one week earlier the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected initial claims to increase to 350,000 from the prior week.]]></description> 
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			<title>Two Lawfirms File Suit Against Government for GSE Shareholders</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/two-lawfirms-file-suit-against-us-government-for-losses-from-gse-investors-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:08:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/two-lawfirms-file-suit-against-us-government-for-losses-from-gse-investors-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Two law firms have joined to file a class action lawsuit against the United States government, alleging the government violated the Fifth Amendment when it took Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship in 2008. Spector Roseman Kodroff & Willis, P.C., based in Philadelphia, and Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, based in Seattle, filed the class action suit on behalf of shareholders this week.]]></description> 
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			<title>Majority of Mortgage Apps Submitted During Work Hours</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/majority-of-mortgage-apps-submitted-during-work-hours-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:04:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/majority-of-mortgage-apps-submitted-during-work-hours-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[After reviewing more than 650,000 online mortgage applications sent to more than 1,100 lenders last year, Mortgage Marvel found only 15 percent of applications were submitted on weekends. A majority of those submitted on weekdays--60 percent--were submitted between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., prompting Mortgage Marvel to assume many applicants are applying while at work.]]></description> 
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			<title>California Leads Mortgage Fraud Risk in Q1</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mortgage-fraud-risk-ticks-up-in-q1-led-by-california-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:08:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mortgage-fraud-risk-ticks-up-in-q1-led-by-california-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[In its latest quarterly Mortgage Fraud Risk Report, Interthinx revealed first-quarter mortgage fraud risk was up 1 percent over last quarter and was unchanged from the same quarter in 2012. California was the riskiest state in the nation, boasting a mortgage fraud risk index of 125. In addition, four of the top 10 riskiest ZIP codes and five of the top 10 riskiest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)--including Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, the top riskiest metro--call the Golden State home.]]></description> 
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			<title>Barclays: Bill to Liquidate GSEs Not Likely to Pass</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/barclays-bill-to-liquidate-gses-unlikely-pass-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:01:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/barclays-bill-to-liquidate-gses-unlikely-pass-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[While a new bill proposing the liquidation of the GSEs might have investors unsure about their future, analysts at Barclays insist there is little to worry about for the time being. The bill, authored by Sens. Bob Corker and Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and titled the "Secondary Mortgage Market Reform Act of 2013," represents a major bipartisan step for housing finance reform. According to a discussion draft obtained by Bloomberg, the legislation would liquidate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac within five years of its passage.]]></description> 
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			<title>Taylor County in Wisconsin Approves CSC as eRecording Vendor</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/taylor-county-in-wisconsin-approves-csc-as-erecording-vendor-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:54:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/taylor-county-in-wisconsin-approves-csc-as-erecording-vendor-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The partnership expands electronic document recording services for the county, which has offered electronic document recording services since mid-2012. ]]></description> 
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			<title>Pierce and Associates Opens Texas Office</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/pierce-and-associates-opens-office-in-texas-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:33:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/pierce-and-associates-opens-office-in-texas-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Pierce and Associates, P.C. expanded its footprint into the Lone Star state with the opening of a satellite office. The new office, which is located in the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex, officially opened its doors on June 10.]]></description> 
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			<title>FHFA: 45% of HARP Refis in Q1 Were for Underwater Borrowers</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fhfa-45-of-q1-harp-refis-for-underwater-borrowers-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:11:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fhfa-45-of-q1-harp-refis-for-underwater-borrowers-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Refinance volume under the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) stayed strong in March even as mortgage rates rose, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reported Wednesday. In March, the GSEs refinanced close to 100,000 loans through HARP, bringing the program total since the 2009 inception to nearly 2.4 million, according to the FHFA. The program continued to provide relief to underwater borrowers, who accounted for nearly half of all HARP refinances in Q1.]]></description> 
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			<title>Subtle Discrimination Endures Over Decades in Housing Market</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/subtle-discrimination-endures-over-decades-in-housing-market-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:20:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/subtle-discrimination-endures-over-decades-in-housing-market-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[When seeking a new home, minorities face subtle discrimination that could increase costs or prolong their home search, according to a report released Tuesday by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While HUD's report reveals a downward trend in "the most blatant forms of discrimination," such as refusing to meet with minority buyers, HUD found less obvious forms of discrimination persist. Among the types of discrimination studied, "[m]ost important, minority homeseekers are told about and shown fewer homes and apartments than whites," HUD said.]]></description> 
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			<title>CoreLogic: 850K Borrowers Rise Out of Negative Equity in Q1</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/corelogic-850k-borrowers-raised-out-of-negative-equity-in-q1-2013-06-12</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:09:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/corelogic-850k-borrowers-raised-out-of-negative-equity-in-q1-2013-06-12</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Significant improvements in home values helped lift 850,000 borrowers out of negative equity in the first quarter, CoreLogic reported. Overall, 9.7 million borrowers, or 19.8 percent of all residential mortgages, were underwater in the first quarter of 2013, down from 10.5 million, or 21.7 percent of all mortgages, in the previous quarter, according to the data provider's estimate. The state with the highest share of upside down borrowers was Nevada, where 45.4 percent of residential mortgages are underwater.]]></description> 
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			<title>Fitch Doles Out Upgrades But Insists RMBS Still Vulnerable</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fitch-doles-out-upgrades-but-insists-rmbs-still-vulnerable-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:45:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fitch-doles-out-upgrades-but-insists-rmbs-still-vulnerable-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[While perhaps not completely out of the woods yet, residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS) are on the mend with some improved performance of late, according to Fitch Ratings. An "improving U.S. housing market and stable macro environment" are boosting performance, leading Fitch to upgrade about 480 RMBS bonds so far this year and harbor a "Positive Outlook" on about 800 RMBS bonds. Looking ahead, the agency does not anticipate widespread upgrades in the year to come.]]></description> 
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			<title>IndiSoft's Data Destruction App Certified by Defense Department</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/indisofts-data-destruction-app-certified-by-defense-department-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:26:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/indisofts-data-destruction-app-certified-by-defense-department-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Defense certified IndiSoft's secure data destruction application known as WipeOut.]]></description> 
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			<title>Real Property Management Doubles in Size Over Two Years</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/real-property-management-doubles-in-size-over-two-years-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:52:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/real-property-management-doubles-in-size-over-two-years-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The property management industry is poised for growth thanks to the booming rental sector, according to Utah-based Real Property Management. In fact, Real Property Management says it has doubled in size over the past two years. Currently, the company has 230 offices across 47 states and opens an average of eight new franchises per month.]]></description> 
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			<title>Financial Problems Drop Sharply for Households</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/financial-problems-drop-sharply-for-households-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:05:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/financial-problems-drop-sharply-for-households-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Americans are experiencing significantly fewer financial troubles than they were a month ago, according to the latest index from Consumer Reports. The Consumer Reports Trouble Tracker Index, which measures the proportion of consumers that have faced financial difficulties and the number of events they've encountered, fell sharply from 41.7 in the last report to 34.0--the lowest level since the measure was created.]]></description> 
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			<title>DataQuick Announces SVP Promotion</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/dataquick-announces-svp-promotion-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:33:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/dataquick-announces-svp-promotion-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[DataQuick, a real estate solutions provider, announced the promotion of Rich Kuegler to SVP of branch production for DataQuick Title (formerly Rels Title).]]></description> 
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			<title>Volusia County, CSC Partner to Offer Electronic Document Recording</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/volusia-county-csc-partner-to-offer-electronic-document-recording-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:12:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/volusia-county-csc-partner-to-offer-electronic-document-recording-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Volusia County in Florida partnered with Corporation Service Company (CSC) to offer the use of electronic document recording for real estate and land record processing.]]></description> 
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			<title>Churchill Mortgage Approved for First-Time Homebuyer Program</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/churchill-mortgage-approved-for-first-time-homebuyer-program-in-texas-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:24:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/churchill-mortgage-approved-for-first-time-homebuyer-program-in-texas-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Churchill Mortgage received approval to take part in a program that offers assistance to first-time homebuyers in Texas.]]></description> 
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			<title>Fed Report Proposes Use of Eminent Domain for Underwater Mortgages</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fed-report-proposes-eminent-domain-solution-to-address-mortgage-debt-overhang-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:50:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fed-report-proposes-eminent-domain-solution-to-address-mortgage-debt-overhang-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[There's a mortgage debt "overhang" that threatens the health of the national economy, and one possible solution to the problem comes in the form of eminent domain, according to a new report authored by Robert Hockett. Of the roughly 11 million underwater mortgages, about 3 or 4 million are in default, foreclosure, or foreclosed and awaiting liquidation, the report, Paying Paul and Robbing No One: An Eminent Domain Solution for Underwater Mortgage Debt, found.]]></description> 
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			<title>Job Openings Dip in April; Hiring in Fastest Pace Since 2008</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/job-openings-dip-in-april-2013-06-11</link> 
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:35:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/job-openings-dip-in-april-2013-06-11</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The number of job openings fell in April for the fourth time in the last five months as the number of people leaving their jobs jumped to the highest level since August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Tuesday. The number of persons unemployed for each job opening rose to 3.10, the first increase in that measure since February. At the same time, the JOLTS data showed hiring in the first four months of the year was up--albeit just 0.2 percent--from the same period in 2012.]]></description> 
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			<title>MCS Announces Two Promotions</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mcs-announces-two-promotions-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:25:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mcs-announces-two-promotions-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS) announced the promotion of Wade Petty and Marie Walters to VP of finance and controller/assistant VP, respectively.]]></description> 
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			<title>MBA Nominates Quicken Loans CEO as Vice Chair</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mba-nominates-quicken-loan-ceo-as-vice-chair-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:09:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/mba-nominates-quicken-loan-ceo-as-vice-chair-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) announced the nomination of Quicken Loans CEO Bill Emerson to be its vice chair for the 2014 membership year.]]></description> 
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			<title>Vericrest Changes Name to Caliber Home Loans</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/vericrest-changes-name-to-caliber-home-loans-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:27:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/vericrest-changes-name-to-caliber-home-loans-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Vericrest Financial, Inc., a financial services company with centers in Texas, Oklahoma, and California, announced it has changed its corporate name to Caliber Home Loans, Inc., effective immediately.

]]></description> 
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			<title>Tennessee Bank Collapses Over Weekend</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/tennessee-bank-collapses-over-weekend-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:22:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/tennessee-bank-collapses-over-weekend-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The weekend saw more bad news from FDIC: the closure of a Tennessee bank, bringing the nation's year-to-date total to 16.

]]></description> 
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			<title>Monthly Increase in Inventory Eases Competition for Homes in May</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/monthly-increase-in-inventory-eases-competition-for-homes-may-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:29:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/monthly-increase-in-inventory-eases-competition-for-homes-may-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Competition for homes eased in May due to a monthly increase in inventory, according to Redfin's latest bidding war report. Although 69.5 percent of offers that came from Redfin agents faced competition last month, the share is down from 73.3 percent in April. Competition was the most heated in California markets. In San Francisco, 87.9 percent of offers faced multiple bids in May, the most out of the 21 major markets tracked.]]></description> 
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			<title>Report: Secondary Market Key to Promoting Housing Affordability</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/groups-charge-secondary-market-with-promoting-housing-affordability-and-accessibility-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:12:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/groups-charge-secondary-market-with-promoting-housing-affordability-and-accessibility-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The key to a viable, accessible mortgage market lays in the structure of the secondary market, according to opinions expressed by the Center for American Progress, a policy think tank, and the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group. In a report, the two groups propose ways the secondary market can accomplish the goals of accessibility and affordability.]]></description> 
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			<title>ATA Acquires Bayview Title Agency</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/ata-acquires-bayview-title-agency-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:38:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/ata-acquires-bayview-title-agency-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Attorneys Title Agency (ATA), a full-service title company providing comprehensive services in Michigan, acquired Bayview Title Agency.]]></description> 
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			<title>Fannie Mae: Confidence in Home Price Gains Reaches Record Levels</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fannie-mae-confidence-in-home-price-gains-reaches-record-levels-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:18:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fannie-mae-confidence-in-home-price-gains-reaches-record-levels-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Reports of strong home price gains drove confidence in the housing market up to record levels in May, Fannie Mae reported. According to the GSE's May 2013 National Housing Survey, Americans expressed record confidence in price gains, with 55 percent--a survey high--saying they believe prices will go up in the next year. In addition, the average 12-month home price change expectation was 3.9 percent, the highest level in the survey's history and a leap over April's 2.7 percent forecast.]]></description> 
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			<title>Firm Forecasts 8% Increase in Prices, Decrease in Mortgage Rates</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/firm-forecasts-8-increase-in-prices-decrease-mortgage-rates-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:47:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/firm-forecasts-8-increase-in-prices-decrease-mortgage-rates-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The pace at which home prices are rising should moderate later this year, with home prices forecast to rise by 8 percent this year then increase by another 4 percent in 2014, according to an analysis from Capital Economics. Although the research firm agrees with analysts who have warned recent home price gains are not sustainable, housing bubble concerns were described as "premature." Unlike other projections, the firm also doesn't expect to see a swift increase in mortgage rates over the next year.]]></description> 
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			<title>Kozeny &amp; McCubbin Appoints Two Members at Firm</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/kozeny-mccubbin-appoints-two-members-at-firm-2013-06-10</link> 
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:41:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/kozeny-mccubbin-appoints-two-members-at-firm-2013-06-10</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Kozeny & McCubbin, LC announced two attorneys were named members of the firm. Sara Fievet Knittel will serve as the firm's compliance attorney and manage the legal compliance processes of the firm. Martin W. Blanchard also became a member of the firm and was appointed to serve as the head of the litigation department for the Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska offices.]]></description> 
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			<title>Florida Passes Expedited Foreclosure Bill</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/florida-passes-expedited-foreclosure-bill-2013-06-09</link> 
			<pubDate>Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:03:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/florida-passes-expedited-foreclosure-bill-2013-06-09</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Florida Gov. Rick Scott passed a bill Friday he said will help the state's housing market and in turn the state's overall economy. "This bill expedites an existing voluntary alternative court process for defaulted home loans in uncontested cases when the borrower and the bank both seek a more speedy finality," Scott said. Florida H.B. 87 was introduced in January by Rep. Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) and passed both state legislatures in May with bipartisan support.]]></description> 
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			<title>Commentary: Does Homeownership Cause Unemployment?</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/commentary-does-homeownership-cause-unemployment-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:36:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/commentary-does-homeownership-cause-unemployment-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Can the drop in homeownership be good news? When President George W. Bush followed his predecessor Bill Clinton in pushing homeownership, one loud dissenter was British economist Andrew Oswald who argued that far from improving the economy, as Bush (and Clinton before him) said it would, homeownership hurts the economy in the long run. Oswald produced data to show that every five percent rise in homeownership results in a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. ]]></description> 
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			<title>Las Vegas Bank Falls, Raising Tally to 15</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/las-vegas-bank-falls-raising-tally-to-15-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:52:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/las-vegas-bank-falls-raising-tally-to-15-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[FDIC's failed bank tally rose to 15 as an institution in Las Vegas shut down, the agency announced.

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			<title>Freddie Mac: 28% of Refinancers Shortened Loan Term in Q1</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/freddie-mac-28-of-refinancers-shortened-loan-term-in-q1-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:48:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/freddie-mac-28-of-refinancers-shortened-loan-term-in-q1-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Freddie Mac released the results of its first-quarter 2013 refinance analysis, showing more refinancers are interested in shortening their loans. Of borrowers who refinanced during Q1, 28 percent shortened their loan term, Freddie Mac reported--up from 27 percent in Q4 2012. The majority (68 percent) elected to keep the same term as the loan they had paid off, while 3 percent chose to lengthen their loan term.]]></description> 
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			<title>Survey: 67% of Renters Cite Lack of Assets as Hurdle to Homeownership</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/survey-67-of-renters-cite-lack-assets-as-hurdle-to-homeownership-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:43:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/survey-67-of-renters-cite-lack-assets-as-hurdle-to-homeownership-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[A little more than half of American renters believe owning a home is a more sensible choice than living in rental housing, according to a research study from Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research Group. At 57 percent, young renters (ages 18-34) were more likely to answer that owning is the better choice. Out of those who would prefer to own, many find themselves blocked by a number of hurdles. The most commonly cited problem was a lack of assets; 67 percent of aspiring owners have less than $10,000 in assets.]]></description> 
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			<title>Housing Improves in Key Areas, but Homeowners Still Need Assistance</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/housing-improves-in-key-areas-but-homeowners-still-need-assistance-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:30:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/housing-improves-in-key-areas-but-homeowners-still-need-assistance-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[In the Obama administration's overall assessment on housing, the market was described as showing "important progress across many key indicators" but the millions of underwater homeowners still call for a need to provide homeowner assistance, according to the May housing scorecard released jointly by Treasury and HUD. For example, homeowners' equity grew by more than $815 billion in the first quarter of 2013. "Despite the positive news, we have important work ahead since there are so many families and individuals still ‘underwater' with mortgage balances higher than their home's value," said Kurt Usowski, HUD deputy assistant secretary for economic affairs.]]></description> 
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			<title>Oregon Court Supports Non-judicial Foreclosures in Ruling</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/oregon-court-supports-mers-non-judicial-foreclosures-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:42:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/oregon-court-supports-mers-non-judicial-foreclosures-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The Oregon Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. can commit certain actions on behalf of a lender when granted the authority to do so. The landmark ruling also allows for non-judicial foreclosures in the state. The court released these decisions in its final rulings in Niday v GMAC Mortgage, LLC and Brandrup v Recontrust Company, N.A.]]></description> 
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			<title>RedVision Offers Loan Modification Services Bundle</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/redvision-offers-loan-modification-services-bundle-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:36:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/redvision-offers-loan-modification-services-bundle-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[RedVision, a provider of title reports and real property research solutions, developed a new loan modification services bundle in response to the Obama administration's efforts to continue providing loan modifications for at-risk homeowners by extending the Making Home Affordable Program.]]></description> 
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			<title>List of Improving Markets Trends Upward After Falling</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/list-of-improving-markets-trends-upward-after-falling-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:42:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/list-of-improving-markets-trends-upward-after-falling-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[After falling in April and May, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) resumed its upward trend in June, NAHB reported. According to the association, the number of U.S. housing markets showing sustained growth in housing permits, home prices, and employment rose to 263 in June, five more than May's total. The index grew for several months to a record high of 274 in March before falling to 273 in April and then 258 in May.]]></description> 
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			<title>AmOne Appoints Marketing Expert to Oversee Business Strategies</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/amone-appoints-marketing-expert-to-oversee-business-strategies-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:25:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/amone-appoints-marketing-expert-to-oversee-business-strategies-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[AmOne welcomes Beth Planakis as SVP of marketing and business development. Planakis has over 16 years of experience in the digital marketing space. ]]></description> 
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			<title>Bay State Foreclosure Starts, Completions See Dramatic Declines in April</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/foreclosure-starts-and-completions-see-dramatic-declines-in-april-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:37:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/foreclosure-starts-and-completions-see-dramatic-declines-in-april-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Massachusetts foreclosure starts and completions plummeted over the last year in April, the Warren Group reported. For the month, the number of foreclosure petitions, which mark the first step in the foreclosure process in the Bay State, stood at 370, down 79 percent from April 2012 when there were 1,750 foreclosure petitions.]]></description> 
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			<title>Trulia: Asking Prices Accelerate in Least Affordable Housing Markets</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/trulia-asking-prices-accelerate-in-least-affordable-housing-markets-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:38:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/trulia-asking-prices-accelerate-in-least-affordable-housing-markets-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Asking prices are rising at an especially fast pace in the least affordable housing markets, according to Trulia. Nationally, asking prices increased 9.5 percent year-over-year in May, but in the ten least affordable metros, asking prices spiked 16.3 percent during the same time period. Among the least affordable markets, seven were in California. Honolulu was found to be the least affordable metro, where 74 percent of monthly household income is used to pay a mortgage.]]></description> 
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			<title>Economy Adds 175K Jobs in May; Unemployment Rate Ticks Up</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/economy-adds-175k-jobs-in-may-unemployment-rate-ticks-up-2013-06-07</link> 
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2013 07:17:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/economy-adds-175k-jobs-in-may-unemployment-rate-ticks-up-2013-06-07</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The economy added 175,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate ticked up to 7.6.percent, the first month-over-month increase since January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Economists had forecast payrolls would grow by 170,000, and that the unemployment rate would remain at 7.5 percent. The increase in the unemployment rate came from an increase in the labor force as more people looked for work. As a result, the number of persons meeting the government definition of unemployed went up.
]]></description> 
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			<title>Two Dykema Attorneys Recognized as Top Lawyers by Chambers</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/two-dykema-attorneys-recognized-as-top-lawyers-nationwide-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:26:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/two-dykema-attorneys-recognized-as-top-lawyers-nationwide-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Two Dykema lawyers were once again named among the top lawyers by Chambers and Partners, which publishes Chambers USA 2013: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. 
Richard Gottlieb and Donald Lampe were recognized for their work in the field of financial services regulation.]]></description> 
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			<title>Fixed Rates Up for Fifth Straight Week</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fixed-rates-up-for-fifth-straight-week-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:42:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/fixed-rates-up-for-fifth-straight-week-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.91 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending June 6, up 10 basis points over last week. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.67 percent. Meanwhile, Bankrate's weekly national survey had the 30-year fixed rising to 4.1 percent, its highest level since April 2012. The 15-year fixed increased to 3.28 percent, while the 5/1 ARM rose 12 basis points to 2.93 percent.]]></description> 
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			<title>RealtyTrac: Top Markets to Find Fixer-Uppers</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/realtytrac-top-markets-to-find-fixer-uppers-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:27:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/realtytrac-top-markets-to-find-fixer-uppers-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Fixer-upper homes might be the solution for potential buyers who are having trouble with snagging a good deal in this low-inventory environment. According RealtyTrac's estimate, there are more than 51,000 of these discounted properties. To help buyers narrow down their search, RealtyTrac ranked the top 15 cities for fixer-uppers. Detroit, Michigan reigned as the best city to buy a fixer-upper. In the Motor City, RealtyTrac found there are 3,773 banked-owned properties built before 1960 that cost under $100,000.]]></description> 
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			<title>National Mortgage Settlement Checks for $1,480 to Go Out June 10</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/borrowers-to-receive-national-mortgage-settlement-checks-for-1480-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:32:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/borrowers-to-receive-national-mortgage-settlement-checks-for-1480-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[National Mortgage Settlement checks for about $1,480 will be sent starting June 10, with a completion date of June 17. According to releases from different state attorneys general offices, Rust Consulting, the settlement administrator, will mail payments associated with 962,278 loans. According to the mortgage settlement website, about $1.5 billion from the $25 billion settlement will be used to compensate eligible borrowers. In order to be considered for payment relief, borrowers had to submit a valid foreclosure claim.]]></description> 
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			<title>Home Equity Jumps 2.5% in Q1</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/home-equity-jumps-25-in-1q-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:36:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/home-equity-jumps-25-in-1q-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[Household net worth jumped by $3 trillion in the first quarter as real estate values grew $836 billion, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday in its quarterly Flow of Funds report. With a drop in mortgage debt, owners' equity in real estate increased a sharp 2.5 percentage points to its highest level since 2007. Owners' equity as a percentage of real estate value has been on a steady upward trajectory since dropping to 36.3 percent in the first quarter of 2009.]]></description> 
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			<title>Wells Fargo Commits $39M for Housing Efforts, Settles REO Issues</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/wells-fargo-settles-discrimination-complaint-commit-39m-to-housing-efforts-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:11:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/wells-fargo-settles-discrimination-complaint-commit-39m-to-housing-efforts-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[To resolve allegations of housing discrimination, Wells Fargo has agreed to pay over $42 million, of which $39 million will be used support housing programs in over 40 communities nationwide. 
The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) filed a federal housing discrimination complaint with HUD against Wells Fargo in April 2012. The complaint alleged the bank's REO properties in communities of color were not well maintained and marketed compared to white neighborhoods.]]></description> 
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			<title>Foreclosure Sale Hike in Judicial States Sparks Inventory Decline</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/foreclosure-sale-hike-in-judicial-states-sparks-decline-national-inventory-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:59:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/foreclosure-sale-hike-in-judicial-states-sparks-decline-national-inventory-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[National foreclosure inventory fell to 3.2 percent in April, its lowest level in four years, according to Lender Processing Services' Mortgage Monitor report. The report also revealed a hike in foreclosure sales in judicial states, which stimulated the decline in the national foreclosure inventory. Foreclosure sales in judicial states jumped 17 percent over the month of April and reached their highest level since 2010 when foreclosure moratoria and process reviews brought the foreclosure process to a near halt across the nation, LPS stated. ]]></description> 
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			<title>Holiday Cuts First-Time Jobless Claims</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/holiday-cuts-1st-time-jobless-claims-2013-06-06</link> 
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:33:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/holiday-cuts-1st-time-jobless-claims-2013-06-06</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell back to 346,000 for the holiday-shortened week ending June 1, dropping 11,000 after increasing 13,000 one week earlier, the Labor Department reported Thursday.]]></description> 
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			<title>CFPB Updates Future Examination Procedures</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/cfpb-updates-future-examination-procedures-2013-06-05</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:15:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/cfpb-updates-future-examination-procedures-2013-06-05</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released updated procedures for examinations of financial institutions and mortgage lenders, which will begin taking place in January of next year. The new procedures, which will be published in the manuals for the Truth in Lending Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, cover a range of topics, including compensation for loan originators, qualification standards for mortgage professionals, consumer rights, arbitration, and appraisals. 
]]></description> 
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			<title>Report: FHA's Financial Woes May Be Greater than Prior Estimates</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/report-fhas-financial-woes-may-be-greater-than-previous-estimates-2013-06-05</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:07:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/report-fhas-financial-woes-may-be-greater-than-previous-estimates-2013-06-05</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[A House panel is investigating what it believes is an attempt by Federal Housing Administration (FHA) officials to cover up the full details of the agency's financial troubles regarding its Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) Fund. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reviewed emails between FHA and IFE Inc., the firm that conducted the agency's actuarial report last year.]]></description> 
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			<title>ProVest Appoints Technology Expert as Chief Information Officer</title> 
			<link>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/provest-appoints-technology-expert-as-chief-information-officer-2013-06-05</link> 
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:55:00 -0500</pubDate> 
			<guid>http://www.dsnews.com/articles/provest-appoints-technology-expert-as-chief-information-officer-2013-06-05</guid> 
			<description><![CDATA[ProVest, a legal support services firm specializing in foreclosure services, hired Steve Campbell as chief information officer (CIO).]]></description> 
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