Carrington Holding Company selected Christopher Whalen to head communications. As EVP, Whalen will take responsibility for media relations and communications for the group. He will also continue to lead industry research and support Carrington's corporate finance activities.

Fixed mortgage rates increased this week following the Federal Open Market Committee's affirmation that it intends to stay the course on its bond purchasing policy. According to Freddie Mac's survey, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.39 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending August 1, up from 4.31 percent last week. Last year at this time, the 30-year fixed averaged 3.55 percent. Bankrate.com's weekly national survey also showed interest rates climbing slightly. The 30-year fixed average rose to 4.59 percent this week.

Mortgage application volume declined last week at a more sudden rate than in previous weeks, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased for the third straight month in June, pulled back to 80.3 in July as its two sub-components moved in different directions. ""Consumer Confidence fell slightly in July, precipitated by a weakening in consumers' economic and job expectations,"" said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. ""Consumers' assessment of current conditions continues to gain ground and expectations remain in expansionary territory despite the July retreat.""

In California, DocMagic named Lisa Rose as its newest investor compliance specialist.

With summer drawing to a close and a new school year approaching, a new survey from Realtor.com shows school boundaries factor in heavily for many homebuyers when they consider their purchasing decision. In a poll of buyers planning to purchase a home within the next two years, Realtor.com found that three out of five respondents will consider school boundaries when choosing their next home. Out of that number, 90.53 percent said they are either an ""important"" or ""somewhat important"" factor.

In California, Prospect Mortgage, LLC named veteran mortgage finance professional Amy Brandt as COO.

Linda B. Bammann will be resigning from Freddie Mac's board of directors at the end of July, the company announced.

DebtX, a full-service loan sale advisor, reported a slight drop in loan prices securing commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) in June.

According to a new report from Kroll Factual Data, the potential for loan application fraud increased slightly in the first quarter of this year--though some regions saw possible fraud rise 30 percent or higher. The first quarter experienced a 1.06 percent increase throughout the country between the first quarter of 2013 and the fourth quarter of 2012. Despite the relatively small national increase, ""large increases in certain metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) coupled with seesawing data from quarter-to-quarter point to a disconcerting state of unpredictability in certain locations,"" Kroll said.