HOUSTON—Volunteers took part in almost two dozen separate events involving projects such as landscaping, painting, house maintenance and construction of new homes, and helping in food banks.

CHICAGO—For those who want luxury apartments with quick access to downtown, and live in neighborhoods with a host of cultural amenities and retail options, TODs are a popular option.

IRVINE, CA—Shifts in loan-application defects to purchase-driven versus refis and from the North to the South raise questions. First American's Mark Fleming tells GlobeSt.com what the causes in these shifts might be.