Requests for home loans rose slightly last week, marking the third consecutive week that activity has increased, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said Wednesday.

The California housing market is often considered a barometer by which to gauge the rest of the country.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that it will keep its benchmark interest rate near zero, and keep it there for an extended period.

The FDIC finalized a new regulatory capital rule Wednesday that will give lenders who package and resell mortgages and other loans a little breathing room when it comes to accounting for these assets on their books.

Ellie Mae announced Wednesday that it has purchased mortgage compliance software company Mavent, Inc.

In her testimony before the State Assembly Select Committee on the safety and protection of at-risk communities in California, Faith Schwartz, executive director of the HOPE NOW alliance, said more than 279,000 California homeowners received mortgage workout solutions through October 2009.

On Tuesday, Irvine, California- based RealtyTrac and Trulia Inc., headquartered in San Francisco released the results of a new survey revealing insights to how consumers feel about purchasing a foreclosed property, conducted on their behalf by Harris Interactive, a market research firm based in New York City.

According to the Zillow Mortgage Rate Monitor, rates for 30-year fixed mortgages, 15-year fixed mortgages, and 5-1 adjustable rate mortgages are increasing.

On Wednesday, LenderLive Network Inc., a Denver, Colorado-based provider of business process outsourcing and technology to the financial industry, will confirm its completion of all software upgrades and modifications necessary for ensuring its services are compliant with the new Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) regulations.

In her statement to a congressional panel on Monday, Vicki Cox Golder, NAR president, said the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance program is a critical part of the American housing fabric and has never been more important than it is in today's market.