Mortgage applications rise 0.5% as most rates dip (USA Today) The Mortgage Bankers Assocation said Wednesday that its composite index of loan applications rose a seasonally asjusted 0.5% the week ended Aug. 22, as interest rates slipped.

Mortgage volume rises (CNN Money) Number of new mortgages up less than 1% last week, survey says. WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mortgage application volume rose less than 1% during the week ended Aug. 22, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly application survey.

Mortgage applications up 1st time in 3 weeks: report (Reuters via Yahoo! News) U.S. mortgage applications rose for the first time in three weeks as interest rates edged lower, an industry group said on Wednesday.

Thornburg Mortgage Teeters on the Edge (New York Times) Thornburg Mortgage , a specialist in jumbo home loans, said its survival remained in doubt following additional margin calls, but it is on track to complete a restructuring and avoid collapse.

Pace of mortgage aid by industry rose in July (AP via Yahoo! Finance) The pace of the mortgage industry's efforts to assist troubled borrowers increased last month, an industry group said Wednesday.

Mortgage fraud reports are up (Philly.com) Efforts to tighten lending standards appear to have had little effect so far, as reports of mortgage fraud increased 42 percent in the first quarter of 2008 from the same period of 2007.

Fannie, Freddie Mortgage Profit Rises With Debt Costs (Update2) (Bloomberg.com) Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The crisis of confidence that sent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt costs to record highs above U.S. Treasuries is also providing the mortgage-finance companies with the biggest profits on new investments since at least 1998.

Police: L.I. Man Faked Robbery To Pay Off Mortgage (WCBS-TV New York) He said he was robbed at first, but a Long Island truck driver later admitted to police he made up the story, hoping to keep the money himself. The reason? Investigators say it was simply so he could pay off his mortgage.

Mortgage finance firm Fannie Mae shakes up executive ranks as shares rise for 3rd straight day (Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune) WASHINGTON - Mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae shook up its executive ranks Wednesday, after shares in it and sibling company Freddie Mac rose for a third straight day as investors appeared less certain a government bailout of the two troubled companies is imminent.

Three top executives of U.S. mortgage giant Fannie Mae to leave company (Canadian Business) WASHINGTON - Fannie Mae says three top executives are leaving as the mortgage finance company aims to cope with mounting losses from the mortgage crisis.