Wingspan Portfolio Advisors named industry veteran Susan Pettem to the newly created position of EVP for business development. Pettem has spent more than 30 years in the mortgage business and has led national sales and major accounts efforts for several large companies.

The lending division of Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, appointed Kathy Pilgrim as branch manager of the company's facility in Duluth, Georgia. Pilgrim has nearly 15 years' experience in mortgage lending.

Existing-home sales translate to an annual rate of 5.12 million at the October sales pace, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). October's sales volume was down 3.2 percent from September and marked the second consecutive month of declining transactions. NAR blames low inventory, diminished buying power from rising prices and interest rates, and a restrictive credit environment for the drop in sales.

Typically, when the mercury in the thermometer heads south, so does homebuying activity. Not so this year, according to Realtor.com. The numbers from the company's latest National Housing Trend Report seem to indicate a defiance of seasonal patterning and instead ""show the 2013 fall market moving at a fast pace,"" Realtor.com reports.

MountainView Servicing Group announced another mortgage servicing rights (MSR) offering on Tuesday, this one a Fannie Mae portfolio valued at $152 million in unpaid principal balance. MountainView's lead advisor on the sale says these kinds of offerings are becoming more commonplace as competition over servicing rights grows within the marketplace.

LoanLogics, a company specializing in loan quality management and performance analytics technologies for the mortgage industry, announced it has raised $11.2 million in funding from growth equity firm Volition Capital and existing investors. The capital infusion will be used to continue the company's national expansion and to enhance its Enterprise Loan Quality Management System.

QuestSoft Corp., a provider of automated mortgage compliance software headquartered in Laguna Hills, California, announced it has added e-signature gateways from six providers, broadening options for customers using the company's IRS 4506-T and Social Security Administration SSA-89 verification services.

Clayton Holdings, LLC, a provider of loan due diligence, surveillance, and consulting services to the mortgage industry, announced the addition of Scott McNulla to its executive team. McNulla, who has spent more than two decades working in the mortgage industry, has joined the company as VP of regulatory compliance.

Carrington Property Services announced it is taking over property management responsibilities on rental properties owned by capital management firm Gorelick Brothers Capital. Per the two companies' partnership, Carrington will manage Gorelick's rental portfolio, which is located primarily in seven major urban centers.

Despite a steady climb in mortgage interest rates since May, borrowers continued to take advantage of low rates to refinance into lower monthly payments, Freddie Mac reported Tuesday. According to the results of the company's latest quarterly refinance analysis, the average interest rate reduction among those who refinanced in Q3 was about 1.8 percentage points, representing a savings of about 30 percent ($3,500 over 12 months on a $200,000 loan).