REO

Homebuyers shook off their fears and returned to the market in force following the re-opening of the government in October, according to data presented by Redfin's Research Center. The online brokerage reported a 58 percent annual increase in the number of interested buyers reaching out to its agents in the week immediately following the resolution of the partial federal government shutdown. The number of clients touring homes and those making offers also grew.

Although the CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Indexes recorded a 10.1 percent year-over-year increase in national home prices in the second quarter, double-digit appreciation is not expected to continue. While the market will continue to see home prices appreciate, those gains are projected to slip to just 5.4 percent by the beginning of next year, CoreLogic reports.

PCV Murcor, a real estate valuations provider, announced the launch of ValuationsDirect, an online appraisal ordering platform designed specifically for mortgage brokers and correspondents. Appraisal reports ordered through the new platform are sent to local appraisers who have specific expertise in their markets and come with a certificate of appraiser independence.

Clayton Holdings, LLC, a provider of loan due diligence, surveillance, and consulting services to the mortgage industry, announced Monday that Joe D'Urso has been named president and COO of the company, effective immediately. D'Urso will oversee all of Clayton's U.S. business units. In addition, Lorenz Schwarz has been named president of Clayton's Green River Capital business unit in addition to his current role of the business unit's COO.

After taking a break in the summer, home price growth got back up to strength in September, according to statistics reported by DataQuick in the company's Property Intelligence Report. DataQuick reported price growth ""resumed at a rapid rate in September and spread to all"" of its 42 reporting counties on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. Other metrics, such as sales, weakened, however.

LRC Asset Management, a majority-owned company of Loan Resolution Corporation, announced the appointment of two VPs--Jason Dow as VP of REO operations and Natalie Drosi as assistant VP of closing oversight. Both are based in the company's Scottsdale, Arizona, headquarters and between them, have more than 27 years' industry experience.

Seventy-one percent of single-family homes in the United States were built before 1990, according to a new industry report. So far this year, 60 percent of residential transactions involved homes built prior to 1990. This older housing stock comes with less competition from other buyers and lower price points, and the Federal Housing Administration's 203(k) program allows owner-occupants to roll the cost of minor and major renovations into the financing for a home purchase or a mortgage refinancing.

Mortgage delinquencies are on the decline, according to a report from Equifax. Home finance write-offs so far this year total $96.3 billion, down 22 percent from last year. The balance of mortgages in severe delinquency--those 90 or more days past due--is less than $300 million for the first time in five years, and Equifax's Amy Crews Cutts says current trends suggest we'll be at pre-recession levels of severe delinquencies by the end of 2014.

Both large institutional and smaller ""mom and pop"" investors have been very active purchasing homes at a steep discount, primarily in housing-bust markets. Industry reports attribute anywhere from 33 to 49 percent of September's home purchases to investors. Whether one-third or nearly one-half of the market, investors are the key force driving home prices, which could signal volatility in coming quarters.

Home prices are well above their year-ago levels, as evidenced by the latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices. In fact, according to the report, the annual gain recorded in August was the fastest rate of growth since February 2006--up 12.8 percent from August last year. The monthly pace of appreciation, however, continues to slow. With prices rising just 1.3 percent from July to August, S&P says we may be approaching a plateau.