According to Fitch Ratings' latest quarterly index, prepayment rates among U.S. residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) have declined to the lowest levels of the post-crisis era. Fitch Ratings' director Sean Nelson attributed the decline in prepayment rates to higher interest rates and fewer distressed liquidations.

Long & Foster Real Estate announced recently the Prein Eiermann Group has joined the company in its Greenville, Delaware, office. Joining Long & Foster as sales associates are team leaders West Prein and Marian Eiermann, as well as Rob Cardone.

Fannie Mae issued approximately $3.5 billion of multifamily mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in the first quarter of 2014, the company said in a press release Monday. The securities are backed by new multifamily loans delivered by the company's lenders.

The Federal Reserve Board announced the issuance of a Consent Order of Prohibition against Darryl Woods, the former president and chairmen of the board of directors of Calvert Financial Corporation. Woods also served as the former CFO and chairman of the board of directors of Mainstreet Bank.

Freddie Mac released its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for April, noting that the housing market continues to be "noisy," giving mixed signals heading into Spring. The government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) did offer some specific market projections for the upcoming buying season.

Axios Valuation Solutions has been named as an approved appraisal management company (AMC) by Flagstar Bank. Axios is a wholly owned subsidiary of eMortgage Logic, and is considered an industry authority in compliant appraisal services.

According to the Colorado Division of Housing, the number of home loans paid off in Colorado fell 49 percent from the first quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2014. The report found that approximately 50,000 deeds of trust were released during Q1 2014, the lowest quarterly total recorded in any quarter since the division began collecting data in 2008.

The Five Star Institute hosted the 2014 Spring Summit for the Default Title Coalition. The event brought together industry professionals to network and discuss salient topics related to the title industry. The Default Title Coalition is a consortium of top title and closing companies with expertise in default and REO operations.

The California Association of Realtors (CAR) reported 367,000 closed escrow sales of existing single-family detached homes, seasonally adjusted at an annualized rate. March marked the fifth straight month with sales below the 400,000 level, and the eighth month of declining sales on a year-over-year basis.

Data through March 2014 found that national credit default rates declined for the month, according to the S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices. All five national indices (composite, first mortgage, second mortgage, bank card, and auto loans) showed a decline for the second consecutive month.