A Los Angeles jury ruled that three former IndyMac Bank officers must pay $169 million in damages to the FDIC for making negligent loans to homebuilders, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Consumers' perceptions of housing and the economy are growing more and more positive, according to responses in Fannie Mae's November 2012 National Housing Survey. Attitudes about the current selling environment continue to improve, with 23 percent of respondents saying now is a good time to sell a home, the highest percentage since the survey began in 2010.

Strong positive indicators in the housing market have Capital Economics revising its predictions on growth in 2013 and beyond. According to the firm's most recent US Housing Market Analyst report, Capital Economics foresees ""further strong gains in home sales and housing starts in 2013,"" as well as improvements in prices and mortgage activity. According to the report, ""[t]he improvement in sales will continue to owe a good deal to investors and cash buyers, who are attracted to housing by the sheer extent to which it is undervalued and the prospects for strong rental market demand.""

Out in Atlanta, Equifax Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Equifax Information Services LLC, has entered into an agreement to purchase certain credit services business assets and operations of CSC Credit Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Computer Sciences Corporation.

A review of Ocwen's mortgage servicing practices has found indications of non-compliance with recent servicing reforms, New York's Department of Financial Services announced. The exam found that Ocwen sometimes failed to provide a single point of contact for borrowers, pursued foreclosure actions on borrowers seeking loan modifications, failed to conduct an independent review of loan mod denials, and failed to ensure that borrower and loan information was accurate and up to date. Following the examination, the department is now requiring that Ocwen hire an independent monitor to review its operations and identify and report on corrective actions.

Fixed mortgage rates stayed relatively calm this week as economic indicators showed improved strength, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 30-year fixed averaged 3.34 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending December 6, up from the previous week's average of 3.32 percent. This week's average is only three basis points up from the survey's record low (achieved the week ending November 21). While Freddie Mac's survey showed increases in fixed rates, Bankrate's weekly survey saw them slipping to new lows.

In a testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan defended the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) recent role in the housing market and the steps the agency has taken to avoid a possible bailout. In an annual report issued to Congress in mid-November, HUD revealed the capital reserve ratio of FHA's Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) Fund had fallen to -1.44 percent (representing -$16.3 billion) based on data from an independent actuary. The report has many analysts, policymakers, and trade groups speculating about the likelihood of an imminent Treasury draw to keep the FHA alive.

Equifax Inc. announced Kent E. Mast will be retiring as corporate VP and chief legal officer after a successful 45-year career. Mast joined Equifax in 2000 and has served ever since as the company's general counsel. Stepping up to fill Mast's role is John J. Kelley III. Kelley is currently senior partner at King & Spalding and a member of that firm's corporate practice group.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced the launch of a new interactive tool designed to provide data on the state of the housing recovery in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The Housing Market Recovery Web page provides a series of interactive visuals to display where home prices have recovered and to what extent.

FDIC-insured banks continued to show improving health in the year's third quarter, the agency reported Tuesday. Commercial banks and savings institution insured by FDIC reported aggregate net income of $37.6 billion in Q3, up from a reported $35.2 billion in Q3 2011. Meanwhile, negative indicators continued to fall. The number of banks on FDIC's ""Problem List"" declined for the sixth straight quarter, dropping from 732 to 694. The third quarter also marked the first time in three years that there have been fewer than 700 banks on the list.