Headlines

Mortgage Contracting Services' (MCS) CEO Caroline Reaves and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced Tuesday the company will create 90 new jobs in Ruston, Louisiana while doubling the size of its business process outsourcing center to more than 20,000 feet.

CoreLogic's latest National Foreclosure Report, utilizing data through March 2014, found that foreclosure inventory is down 5.1 percent from February. The percentage of homes seriously delinquent on their mortgages fell as well to 4.7 percent, the first time the seriously delinquent rate has been this low since October 2008.

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, considered one of the preeminent measures among home price indicators, shows prices among 20 of the nation's biggest markets grew 0.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in February, matching January's rate of growth. Unadjusted, the index was unchanged month-over-month, though even that was an improvement over a 0.1 percent drop to start the year.

According to the Fastest Markets Report issued by Redfin, homes are "flying off the market" in many places, such as San Francisco, California; Austin, Texas; and Washington, D.C. The report notes that although homes are selling faster, fewer total homes are selling. Inventory has risen in these metros, but prices are holding buyers back.

Freddie Mac announced a new offering of Structured Pass-Through Certificates (K Certificates). The offering is backed primarily by fixed-rate multifamily mortgages with a 7-year term. "The company expects to offer approximately $1.2 billion in K Certificates (K-715 Certificates)," the company said.

Aspen Contracting announced recently it has hired Douglas G. Dennison as VP of Business Development. Dennison will continue Aspen Contracting's efforts to increase business throughout the United States.

A new report from Freddie Mac, the GSE’s latest monthly volume summary, found that the company’s mortgage portfolio has declined in each of the first three months of this year. The decline in March was the fastest annualized decline, and saw the total portfolio volume fall at a rate of 2.9 percent.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) announced during its 16th annual Building Michigan Communities Conference that it projects increases in new housing starts, rising home price, and a decline in foreclosures. "The economic and housing outlook in Michigan for 2014 is decidedly brighter than what we've seen at any time over the previous five years," said MSHDA Executive Director Scott Woosley.

Black Knight Financial Services released its Home Price Index (HPI), noting that home prices in the U.S. rose .7 percent for the month of February to an average of $233,000. The slight increase for the month reflects an overall yearly increase of 7.6 percent, according to the financial company.

MountainView Capital Group, a residential whole loan transaction advisor in Denver, Colorado, announced the closing of a deal involving a portfolio of residential mortgage loans with a total unpaid principal balance of approximately $60 million. The seller was listes as ResCap Liquidating Trust, and Mountainview served as ResCap’s loan sale advisor.