Secondary Market

Altisource Portfolio Solutions announced it is purchasing certain fee-based businesses from Ocwen Financial for a combined purchase price of $218.6 million. According to a company release, Altisource entered into non-binding letters of intent with Ocwen to acquire certain fee-based businesses related to the servicer's recent purchase of Homeward Residential and the anticipated purchase of the mortgage servicing platform from Residential Capital.

A federal judge turned down Wells Fargo's claim that a federal lawsuit against the bank violates the terms of the national mortgage settlement.

RE/MAX agents in the United States reported nearly 840,000 transaction sides last year--a 12 percent increase over 2011, the agency reported Tuesday. More notably, individual productivity within the RE/MAX network rose 15 percent to an average of 16.3 transaction sides per agent.

Genworth's U.S. Mortgage Insurance (USMI) unit announced the completion of integrated electronic interfaces with two major loan origination systems.

Brooke Hoag will now be the face of Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group's community service efforts, the company announced. As Gold Star's community commitment liaison, Hoag will devote her energy to formalize and expand community giving efforts developed by employees over the years.

RentRange, LLC, a Westminster, Colorado-based data and analytics provider for the single-family rental market observed changes in rent prices for three-bedroom, single-family homes located in cities with at least 25,000 residents. The data firm found the greatest growth in La Quinta, California, where rents increased 35.75 percent from December 2011 to December 2012.

Data released by Freddie Mac shows more than a quarter of borrowers who refinanced in Q4 2012 chose to shorten their loan terms.

Freddie Mac's board has a new member. The company announced the election of Steven W. Kohlhagen, Ph.D. to its board of directors. Kohlhagen brings more than three decades of experience with him, having held senior executive positions at leading financial institutions, including First Union National Bank (predecessor to Wachovia National Bank), American International Group, Stamford Capital Group, Bankers Trust Corporation, and Lehman Brothers.

Mortgage Builder Software, a provider of loan origination and loan servicing software systems, is renaming its loan servicing software platform.

loanDepot.com, LLC, an independent mortgage lender based in California, announced four additions to its executive lineup.