Assurant Specialty Property announced on Thursday that it acquired eMortgage Logic, LLC in an effort to expand its risk management offerings for the mortgage industry. eMortgage Logic is a provider of residential valuation products and valuation technology services.

In a move that could signal a sea change in the industry, mortgage banking law firm Butler & Hosch recently announced that it would acquire Atlanta-based McCurdy & Candler’s default practice.

As the recovery quickens pace, home inspection franchise business has increased in Alabama. The WIN Home Inspection franchise has seen its revenue grow 35 percent in the past two years as the franchise grabs an outsized slice of the recovering real estate market.

In the Bay State, single-family home sales dropped 2 percent in November--the first time year-over-year sales dropped since April, according to the latest report by The Warren Group. For the first time since April, homes sales posted a decrease and the fewest number of sales recorded for a month.

Compass Mitigation Services welcomes industry veteran Christine Cole, as she joins the company as EVP and Managing Director of Compass Mitigation.

Home sales continue to seesaw--while levels increased from the previous year, they dipped from the previous month in October, according to the latest market report from RE/MAX. Following historic seasonal trends, October home sales edged 2.8 percent lower than September, but still pushed 2.2 percent higher than sales in October 2012. At the same time, median home prices were 11.9 percent above prices seen last October.

In an effort to mitigate potential losses incurred by a questionable pool of single-family loans, Freddie Mac announced Tuesday that it has obtained an insurance policy underwritten by Arch Reinsurance Ltd. The policy will cover up to $77.4 million of credit losses for a portion of the credit risk associated with a pool of single-family loans funded in the third quarter of 2012. The move is in line with the GSE's goal of sharing credit risk with the private market.

DebtX has partnered with SEBA Professional Services to will sell a $5 billion portfolio of non-performing residential loans for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The loan sale consists of two parts: One part is a national offering of approximately 24,000, single family loans totaling $4 billion in unpaid principal balance (UPB), which will bid October 30 and December 10, 2013.

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew announced Thursday that Treasury is extending the Making Home Affordable Program for another two years. The new expiration date is now set for December 31, 2015.

Recent data show homeowners are getting ahead of the curve and listing their properties earlier than in previous years as the spring selling season approaches. A report by Realtor.com shows listing inventories increased 1.15 percent month-over-month in February, and houses stayed on the market for an average of 98 days, down 9.26 percent from January. Month-over-month list prices also increased to $189,900. This recent spate of news indicates to some that a growing number of "move-up" homebuyers are less reluctant about venturing into the market.