TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
Issue link: http://digital.themreport.com/i/106030
social life The Industry's Influencers A robust network of online supporters—dubbed "influencers" in social media speak—is imperative for creating web-based buzz, and stories trending on MReport's interactive channels expose the companies and headlines most likely to provoke persuasive feedback. Most Likely to Improve Your Outlook MostLikely to Hire You Most Likely to Inspire Confidence Most Likely to Stay In The News Most Likely to Make You Upgrade Most Likely to Outpace You NAHB Reports Surge in Improving Markets: The number of new improving housing markets observed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) skyrocketed in December 2012, ballooning to 201 with 76 metropolitan areas added since the previous month's survey. The number of states represented in the index also increased, rising to 44, plus the District of Columbia, besting the prior total of 38. December marks the fourth straight month of increases for NAHB/ First American's Improving Markets Index. Veterans United Recognized Among Leading Job Creators: Named among the nation's top job creators, Veterans United Home Loans was ranked first in the country for generating employment opportunities in the financial services sector according to Inc. magazine. The organization also took the No. 1 spot for state-specific hiring in Missouri, in addition to raking 29th overall on the publication's Hire Power Awards list. Consumer Perception Growing More Positive: Consumers' perceptions of housing and the economy are improving, according to Fannie Mae's most recent National Housing Survey. Attitudes about the current selling environment continue to advance, with 23 percent of respondents saying now is a good time to sell a home, the highest percentage since the survey began in 2010. "This growing confidence in a housing recovery, in addition to other factors, may reinforce growing consumer optimism regarding the improving direction of the general economy," said Doug Duncan, Fannie's chief economist. Equifax, CSC Announce $1B Acquisition Deal: Georgia-based Equifax, Inc., and its subsidiary, Equifax Information Services, LLC, have entered into an agreement to purchase certain credit services business assets and operations of CSC Credit Services, Inc., for $1 billion. Equifax's CEO and chairman, Richard Smith, noted the transaction is expected to generate incremental net operating revenue of $115 million to $125 million, adding that the pending deal should "be solidly accretive to Equifax's adjusted earnings per share in 2013." StreetLinks Launches New Unit, New Product: StreetLinks Lender Solutions, LLC, has both a new division and a new product to show off, with the Indiana-based valuation services and lending technology firm launching an Automated Examination and Valuation Division and a new suite of quality examination (QX) products. "It would have been easier, quicker, and cheaper to simply become a reseller of AVMs and rules engines, but we couldn't bring ourselves to put the StreetLinks brand on what we believed to be substandard products," said StreetLinks president Tom Hurst. RFC Ranked Among Fastest-Growing U.S. Companies: Residential Finance Corp. (RFC) was listed at 4,287 out of the country's 5,000 fastest-growing companies, earning a place on Inc. magazine's annual list of thriving organizations. The nationwide mortgage lender was also included in the publication's Hire Power Awards rankings, coming in fifth among companies generating employment opportunities in Ohio, where RFC has its headquarters. Trending on: Facebook Twitter Connect: @NAHBHome Trending on: Connect: Facebook. com/VUHomeLoans Facebook Facebook. com/Equifax Trending on: Facebook Trending on: Twitter Connect: @FMServicing Trending on: Connect: Trending on: Twitter Connect: @StreetLinks Connect: Facebook. com/MyRFC The M Report | 17