DSNews delivers stories, ideas, links, companies, people, events, and videos impacting the mortgage default servicing industry.
Issue link: http://digital.dsnews.com/i/274957
30 MOVERS & SHAKERS KEEP UP WITH WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHO WENT WHERE Got something to share with us? Send it to Editor@DSNews.com. December Home Prices Up 11% from 2012 CoreLogic released its Home Price Index (HPI) for December 2013, noting an 11 percent bump since December 2012. e figure includes distressed sales. Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic, was optimistic about the future: "After six years of fits and starts, we can now see a clearer path to a durable recovery in single-family residential housing across most of the United States." e company is equally bullish about prices in January, projecting a 10.2 percent year-over-year gain. Month-by-month, prices saw a 0.1 percent decline from November, falling in line with predictions CoreLogic made in its previous HPI report. Looking ahead, the company's year-to-year assessment indicates a possible rise and subsequent stabilization of home prices. "Last year, home prices rose 11 percent, the highest rate of annual increase since 2005, and 10 states and the District of Columbia reached new all-time price peaks," said Dr. Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. "We expect the rising prices to attract more sellers, unlocking this pent-up supply, which will have a moderating effect on prices in 2014." e five states with the highest home price appreciation were Nevada (+23.9 percent), California (+19.7 percent), Michigan (+14 percent), Oregon (+13.7 percent), and Georgia (+12.8 percent). Including distressed sales, Arkansas (-1.5 percent), New Mexico (-1.3 percent), and Mississippi (-0.2 percent) were the only three states to post home price depreciation in December. Excluding distressed sales, no states posted home price depreciation in December. Fabrizio & Brook Names New Litigation Attorney The law firm of Fabrizio & Brook, P.C., has a new member on staff. The firm hired attorney Christopher Astfalk to join its litigation team. Astfalk brings 20 years' litigation experience to the firm and has specialized in the mortgage default industry for more than 10 years. CMLS Board Appoints New Member Marty Reed of Black Knight Financial Services was appointed to the board of directors for the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS). She serves as the Multiple Listing Services (MLS) Solutions division's VP of business operations. Reed is the first MLS vendor representative to be appointed to the CMLS board. BDFTE Welcomes New Partners Barrett Daffin Frappier Turner & Engel (BDFTE) welcomed five new partners. The Addison, Texas-based law firm services the mortgage default servicing industry. Ryan Bourgeois will serve as general counsel for BDFTE. Bourgeois is a graduate of Texas Christian University and holds a Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University's (SMU) Dedman School of Law. Shawn Carter is a managing attorney in the Consumer Bankruptcy Department of BDFTE. He holds a B.A. from Texas A&M University and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center. His practice is focused in the area of creditor rights in both state and federal court. He was also named a Texas Rising Star in the Super Lawyers edition of Texas Monthly in 2007 and 2009. Jeff Fleming was also announced as a new partner. He attended Texas A&M and obtained a B.S. before earning his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law. Fleming's statewide practice focuses on bankruptcy, creditors' rights, and default servicing representing a number of mortgage servicers and banks. He was named a Rising Star in the April 2009 edition of Texas Super Lawyers Magazine. Robert D. Forster II was named managing attorney in the litigation department. Since joining the firm in 2006, his practice has primarily consisted of real estate, mortgage banking, and probate matters, with an emphasis on reverse mortgage litigation. He attended Arizona State and earned his Juris Doctor from SMU's Dedman School of Law. Connie J. Vandergriff was also appointed managing attorney in the litigation department. She attended Baylor University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in business. She earned her Juris Doctor from the SMU Dedman School of Law. "Each of these individuals have exemplified the knowledge, work ethic, and values that are core to our law firm," said Jay Frappier, managing partner of the firm. "I look forward to working with them to help develop our strategies that will guide us into the next generation of our firm." Scott Law Firm Appoints Three New Positions The Scott Law Firm, based in Columbia, South Carolina, announced a new president and managing attorney, Reginald "Reggie" P. Corley. Additionally, the firm announced Richard T. Martin will serve as director of client services, and Alan M. Stewart has joined the firm as senior supervising attorney. Ronald "Ron" Scott will remain full-time with the firm as chairman. Corley, Martin, and Stewart collectively have more than 60 years' mortgage banking experience. Corley has been selected for the past three years as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, a rating service magazine. The Scott Law Firm has served the mortgage banking default area for four decades. The Scott Law Firm has been selected as a "Top-Listed" firm in South Carolina by Best Lawyers in America for the past five years for their work in mortgage foreclosure law. The firm is one of 15 law firms across the country to be selected for a Tier 1 Metropolitan Rating in mortgage banking foreclosure law by U.S. News & World Report. Norcom Mortgage Opens New Branch Norcom Mortgage opened a new branch in Brookfield, Connecticut. James Forte, will serve as branch manager. Forte has been in mortgage loan origination for the past 16 years. His tenure in the mortgage origination area includes managing a sales team and previous experience running a branch. CONTINUED ON PAGE 32