According to Bankrate’s weekly national survey, mortgage rates have once again increased, making it the sixth hike in the last seven weeks. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to 6.26 percent.

RealtyTrac released today its December U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for 2006 showing that 109,652 properties across the nation entered some stage of foreclosure, nearly a nine percent decrease from November, but still a 35 percent hike when compared to December 2005.

First American Title Insurance Company announced yesterday that it has completed the development of a new program that delivers insured title commitments in less than a minute. The new program, TitleSmart™, gives lenders an advantage in pursuing refinance loan business.

In its 8-K filing to the Securities Exchange Commission last Friday, Fannie Mae announced that Kenneth Duberstein has resigned from its board of directors, effective February 15.   A brief statement in the filing said that the GSE and Duberstein felt it was best that he stay on the board until the company’s restatement and the filing of its 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K, both of which are now complete.

NeighborWorks America announced today that Michael Forster will serves chief financial officer, a new position for the company. Michael brings tremendous financial accounting, planning, and controls background to this new position, said Ken Wade, chief executive officer of NeighborWorks.

The Texas Association of Realtors announced yesterday its agenda for the 80th legislative session. Agenda issues most salient to Realtors include appraisal reform, additional school property-tax relief, mortgage finance, and cities’ use of eminent domain.

IndyMac Bancorp, Inc., announced yesterday that its earnings per share (EPS) for the fourth quarter fell short of expecations. IndyMac anticipated a fourth quarter EPS of $1.35, but last week, the company learned that it will be closer to $0.

PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. announced today the promotion of two senior vice presidents. Stanley M. Pachura will serve as senior vice president of corporate systems, and Charles J. Starkovich will assume the role of senior vice president of systems development and enterprise architecture.

Pro-Teck Services announced that they have hired Joseph Palumbo as chief quality officer. In the new role, Palumbo will have oversight of product quality, certification and training programs, auditing and compliance, and managing national fee panel and quality staff.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking announced new guidelines that determine what is and is not acceptable conduct for the 3,000 lenders and brokers within the state. The new policy comes in response to the department’s initiative to protect consumers who are attempting to obtain home loans.