Government

The president and CEO of Ernst Publishing Company, a provider of closing cost data for the real estate and home finance industries, is weighing in on critical challenges--and potential solutions--in the current mortgage marketplace. Participating in The Changemaker, a new podcast series, Ernst's leader, Gregory E. Teal, shed light on initiatives and strategies that have the potential to positively impact the future of housing.

Hammerhouse LLC announced it has expanded its Eastern U.S. headquarters and brought on additional staff in order to meet the increased demands of its growing client base.

Mortgage Marketplace is one of Zillow's app suite that features 15 realestate-related mobile apps across all major platforms. The app provides a transparent lending marketplace where borrowers can connect to reputable lenders to find personalized loan options and get a variety of competitive mortgage rates.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicers will be able to skip a step when attempting to get a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure approved. On Wednesday, the GSEs announced standard delegation agreements were reached with nine mortgage insurers to allow servicers to complete short sales and deeds-in-lieu without seeking approval from the mortgage insurer. The agreement takes effect November 1. The short sale or deed-in-lieu still has to meet the GSEs' requirements, but servicers don't have to wait for mortgage insurers to offer their stamp of approval.

The Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation (PenFed Foundation) is on track to give away a record number of grants this year through its Dream Makers program.

Relisting his pricey pad in the Hamptons, artist Ross Bleckner has put his palatial estate on the market for $15 million. Located in Sagaponack, New York, Bleckner's abode boasts multiple structures, including a main home with an ocean view, a cedar-shingled guest cottage, and an art studio.

Federal regulators released a notice Tuesday stating their support for financial institutions operating in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. They both encouraged affected institutions to work to meet the needs of their communities and expressed their lenience on certain reporting and publishing requirements for those institutions.

In Colorado, Lender Processing Services, Inc. (LPS), has reached a settlement with the state's attorney general. Concluding the investigation into document execution practices by subsidiaries of LPS, the company has agreed to provide payment and reimbursement fees in exchange for a release of potential liability.

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) selected Gail Laster to lead as director of the Office of Consumer Protection, a senior management position within the agency. Laster will begin her position November 19 and succeeds Kent Buckham, who is retiring after more than 35 years of service.

Homeowners with mortgages guaranteed by Freddie Mac may be eligible for payment relief if they are located in an area that has been devastated by Hurricane Sandy. The GSE announced it is encouraging servicers to help borrowers through different forms of assistance such as suspending foreclosure and eviction proceedings for up to a year, waiving penalties or late fees against borrowers with disaster-damaged homes, and not reporting delinquencies caused by the disaster to credit bureaus.