%{=FONT-SIZE: 10pt}Addison, Texas-based law firm Barrett, Daffin, Frappier, Turner & Engel said Tuesday that the firm has helped 10,000 homeowners remain in their homes since November of last year.

The 7th Annual FIS Foreclosure Solutions Attorney Summit recently recognized dozens of law firms for their exceptional performance during the past 12 months. Each firm on the list is recognized for providing excellent service in their state.

North Carolina Governor Mike Easley said Wednesday that he’s calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation that will require foreclosing parties to give subprime borrowers at least 45 days notice before beginning the official foreclosure process.

Fortes Financial, Inc. announced Tuesday that the company has officially integrated five regional wholesale offices belonging to National City Mortgage Corp. under its umbrella. The offices impacted are located in San Diego, Dallas, Chicago, Fredrick, Maryland, and Atlanta.

Bank of America completed its acquisition of subprime lender Countrywide Financial Corp. on Tuesday—an action that makes BofA the nation’s largest mortgage originator and servicer. The landmark merger has been solidified with a series of ground rules— namely BofA’s assertion that while it plans to offer an assortment of products, the company remains committed to the platform’s current policy of not originating subprime mortgages.

For the third time in two weeks, a state Attorney General has filed suit against subprime lender Countrywide Financial Corp. News of the suit arrives on the same day that Bank of America announced that it has completed its acquisition of Countrywide Financial Corp.

CIT Group, Inc. announced Tuesday that the company will be selling its Home Lending business to Dallas, Texas-based private equity firm Lone Star Funds for $1.5 billion. As part of the transaction, the Dallas firm will be purchasing servicing centers in Marlton, New Jersey and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as $4.

A new report from Fitch Ratings says an influx of real-estate owned (REO) properties has created a dilemma for residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) servicers who are forced to maintain the properties and who are at-risk of losing money because of lost values and a lagging real estate market.

The state of Massachusetts continued to experience an increase in foreclosure deeds during the month of May, according to a new report from The Warren Group, which also is publisher of Banker & Tradesman.

Process server management platform ProVest announced Monday that the company has opened a new office in Maryland that will help local attorneys and servicers meet the demands of new state legislation that requires private process servers to personally deliver a notice of foreclosure to homeowners in default before the process begins.