While many reputable real estate research firms have reported smaller declines in home prices in recent months, but declines nonetheless, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released a report today that says U.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis launched a new Web site feature Tuesday, designed to help the public keep track of major regulatory developments in the government’s actions for financial system reform .

The LOGS Network, a consortium headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, that provides legal and outsourcing solutions for the residential mortgage and consumer credit industries, has announced that its member firms received a total of 13 awards at the recent LPS Default Solutions Attorney Summit hosted by Lender Processing Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Scott Gibson of RE/MAX Renaissance Realty – Gibson Laughton Group in Arizona, has been ranked No. 4 on the list of Top 100 Teams in the United States published by RE/MAX Mainstreet, according to standings for January through May of 2009 based on residential commissions paid.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey Wednesday, which showed an increase in home loan requests for the third week in a row. For the week ending July 17, 2009, MBA reported that total mortgage application volume rose 2.

The Treasury Department said last week that loan originations made by the nation’s largest banks grew modestly during the month of May, and according to a report issued this week by the Troubled Asset Relief Program’s (TARP) inspector general, a large majority of institutions who have received government bailout money say they’ve used the funds to write new loans.

Despite a persistent economic downturn that has slowed or interrupted development among many firms, Southern California-based REOTrans, LLC continues to grow. The company recently revealed plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to the Howard Hughes Center just off the San Diego Freeway on the west side of Los Angeles.

National housing prices fell 9.2 percent in May compared to a year ago, representing the smallest year-over-year decline recorded in 2009 and the lowest since December 2007, according to newly released data from First American CoreLogic and its LoanPerformance Home Price Index (HPI).

After a four-month-long search process, Freddie Mac announced Tuesday that its board of directors named finance industry veteran Charles E. Haldeman, Jr. as the company’s new CEO and has elected him as a member of the board – a move that was widely expected, as DSNews.

Irvine, California-based Real Estate Disposition Corporation (REDC) announced Monday that the company has snagged Richard M. Kent as SVP of its new commercial real estate auction division. Daniel Culler, COO of REDC’s commercial division, said, We are excited to announce the addition of Richard Kent to our executive team.