Secondary Market

In the Dallas area, Matt Martin Real Estate Management LLC (MMREM) welcomed Jo Ann Kruse as COO of MMREM and its subsidiaries.

Prospect Mortgage announced its acquisition of the Diamond Mortgage Group, bringing to Prospect a group of dedicated mortgage professionals serving Southeastern Connecticut.

WFG Title Company of California announced the hiring of a new SVP and Orange County manager. The company named Bryan Kelley in the role.

First Financial Bancorp is now serving the Fort Wayne, Indiana, market following the company's hiring of commercial and residential mortgage teams in the area.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recovered nearly $8 billion last year in its pursuit of funds related to allegedly fraudulent loan sales to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In Virginia, Genworth Financial, Inc., announced the hiring of Lori M. Evangel as EVP and chief risk officer.

NewOak announced the appointment of Neil McPherson as head of business development. McPherson, who was part of the original business development team when NewOak launched in 2008, returns to the firm with responsibility for coordinating NewOak├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós client development efforts across all its business lines: valuation and risk advisory, litigation consulting and dispute resolution, mortgage credit services, and financial technology solutions.

Michael Cannatti, a nearly 40-year veteran of the housing finance industry, has joined Mortgage Master as Texas Regional Manager, the super-regional mortgage bank announced.

Fannie Mae's book of business increased for the second month in a row in November, marking the fourth month of increases in 2013, according to the GSE's monthly volume report. Fannie Mae's book of business grew at a compounded annualized rate of 0.1 percent in November, down from 0.8 percent in October. Fannie's total book of business is valued at $3.17 trillion as of November, while its total mortgage portfolio totals $496 billion.

Freddie Mac's total book of business decreased at an annualized rate of 2 percent in November compared to an annualized rate of 6.4 percent in October, according to the GSE's latest monthly volume report.