Sun-Mart Mortgage

Kroll Factual Data Inc., a Loveland, Col.-based provider of customized mortgage services, announced it acquired its franchisee D, D & C Inc., doing business as Factual Data of the Carolinas.

The merger reportedly allows significant market expansion for Kroll in the Southeast and further enhances marketability among national mortgage lenders.

Wintrust Financial Corp. submitted an application to banking regulators to establish a de novo bank in Chicago that will be named Old Plank Trail Community Bank with locations in Frankfort, Mokena and New Lenox, according to an announcement.

Paul R. Slade will be president and chief executive of the proposed bank, which is expected to begin operating late next quarter or early in the second quarter, reported Wintrust, parent of WestAmerica Mortgage.

Around that time (late first quarter), the Lake Forest, Ill.-based company also reportedly expects to have closed on a deal to acquire Hinsbrook Bancshares Inc.

The de novo bank and the merger “help fulfill Wintrust’s plans to continue expansion into desirable suburban Chicago metropolitan communities,” Wintrust President and CEO Edward J. Wehmer said in a written statement.

In Reston, Va., NVR Inc. announced it entered into a new credit facility of $400 million that matures in December 2010, an increase and extension from the previous $150 million facility.

Of the 13 banks participating in the facility, NVR said JPMorgan Chase Bank leads it, followed by U.S. Bank, SunTrust Bank and Wachovia Bank, and others.

Pelican Financial Inc. reached a definitive agreement to be acquired by a subsidiary of Stark Bank Group Ltd.. Fort Dodge, Iowa, in a deal expected to be completed in the second quarter 2006, the companies announced.

Pelican, of Ann Arbor, Mich., owns Florida-based Pelican National Bank, a full-service community bank.

Farmers Capital Bank Corp., a Frankfort, Ky.-based holding company that says it has a mortgage company, announced it acquired Citizens Bancorp Inc.

Farmers previously said the $38 million transaction would expand its footprint in Northern Kentucky.

The Federal Reserve gave Hudson Valley Holding Corp. the green light to acquire New York National Bank no later than March 6, 2005.

A commenter of the proposed merger alleged that Hudson Valley Bank made few home loans in low-to-moderate income tracts and predominantly minority communities, and engaged in discriminatory treatment of minority individuals in such loans. The Fed, however, said Hudson was “active in meeting the convenience and needs of their communities and that their records of performance are consistent with approval of this proposal.”

Debt-resolution services provider Nationwide Financial Solutions Inc. today said it signed an agreement to acquire Bay Capital Corp. through a transaction expected to close within the next quarter.

The merger with Bay, a Maryland-based wholesale and retail lender that originated over $700 million last year, will “create the first public company to offer consumers both Debt Resolution and Mortgage solutions,” Nationwide said.

SunTrust Banks Inc. recently announced it will acquire Community Bank of Florida in a transaction expected to close next quarter that will give it 11 Community Bank branches inside Wal-Mart locations throughout Florida.

“Building upon the success of our Wal-Mart partnership,” as SunTrust already has 32 Wal-Mart in-store branches in Florida, the Community Bank “branches allow SunTrust to attract new clients, as well as offer our existing customers additional convenience when doing their banking business,” SunTrust said.

In Houston, Texas, Franklin Bank said it completed the purchase and assumption of five Washington Mutual banking offices that will expand its footprint in East and Central Texas.

The purchase and assumption agreement was modified to exclude most of the loans in the three East Texas offices, all affected by Hurricane Rita, because the areas have been designated by FEMA as disaster areas. “The purchase of these loans will be made prior to June 30, 2006, if the loans meet criteria specified at the time of purchase,” Franklin said.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas, Nev.-based Shearson Home Loans said it secured a $4 million Standby Equity Distribution Agreement from Crusader SEDA Fund LLC in New York, which allows it to draw capital from the fund periodically up to that amount over the next two years. The agreement is expected to close Dec. 16.

This “equity commitment will allow us to expand the Shearson brand and add numerous new branches to our mortgage network,” said Michael A. Barron, Shearson chairman and chief executive, in an announcement. “We have several acquisitions in mind and a financial resource like this gives us a real market edge as we consolidate branches.”

Shearson, which says it is a consolidator of independent mortgage brokerages that seeks new branches for its growing network, employs over 300 people, of which 250 are “residential mortgage real estate brokerage professionals who had closed-loan volume of $1.1 billion” last year, according to the announcement.