U.S. MBA Mortgage Applications Index Rose 0.5% Last Week (Bloomberg) March 10 (Bloomberg) -- Mortgage applications in the U.S. rose for a second week, led by an increase in purchases that may indicate the renewal of a homebuyer tax credit is starting to invigorate demand.

Club Kalua owners charged with mortgage fraud (AP via Yahoo! Finance) The mother and son owners of the defunct strip club made infamous by the shooting of Sean Bell have been charged in a mortgage fraud case in Queens.

Warning for mortgage holders who just refinanced (WTHR Indianapolis) If you've recently refinanced a mortgage loan, the Indiana Department of Insurance wants you to make a follow-up call.

Failed mortgage firm trustee allowed $50,000 in fees (New Hampshire Union Leader) U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge J. Michael Deasy will approve $50,000 in legal fees for the trustee of failed mortgage brokerage businesses Financial Resources Mortgage Inc. and CL&M Inc.

Airport watch for former mortgage broker (The Australian) AN airport alert has been issued after one of the nation's biggest former mortgage brokers, who is under investigation, left the country.

Former Rock pitchman launches mortgage company of his own (Detroit Free Press) Best known for years as the pitchman of Rock Financial before a falling-out with his boss, Dan Gilbert, David Hall has launched a mortgage company in Birmingham called Hall Financial.

U.S. indicts Md. man in mortgage fraud (UPI) GREENBELT, Md., March 9 (UPI) -- Authorities Tuesday arrested a Maryland man in what the Department of Justice called a massive mortgage fraud scheme that left victims homeless.

Firm starts mortgage reward scheme (Channel 4) Property services group Countrywide has launched a new reward scheme for mortgage customers. The group believes it is the first company in the property industry to give people who take out a mortgage or insurance policy loyalty points that can then be exchanged for discounts and vouchers.

Mortgage rates decline (South Sound Business Examiner) The 30-year fixed mortgage rate on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace is currently 4.76 percent, down four basis points from 4.8 percent at this same time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fluctuated between 4.76 and 4.82 during the past week.The rate for Washington dropped 5 basis points, from 4.82 percent to 4.77 percent. ...

Mortgage 'Half' Payments: How Much Do They Save? (The Christian Science Monitor) One frequent question I’m often asked is whether or not paying half of a mortgage payment twice a month versus paying a full mortgage payment once a month is actually worthwhile.