The National Credit Union Administration has entered the real estate market along Florida's Gulf Coast in a big way as it struggles to sell hundreds of properties it ended up holding from three large credit union failures: Norlarco Federal Credit Union, Huron River Area Federal Credit Union and New Horizons Community Federal Credit Union.

Pacific Mercantile Bancorp in Costa Mesa, Calif., reported a $6.8 million loss for the fourth quarter, cutting its loss nearly in half from a year earlier, with the improvement primarily driven by a lower provision for loan losses.

PremierWest Bancorp in Medford, Ore., has succeeded in recapitalizing its bank, though a fresh regulatory order has pushed back the target.

First Financial Holdings Inc. of Charleston, S.C., warned Thursday that it expects to report a steep loan-loss provision for its fiscal second quarter, which ended March 31.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Kellogg Community FCU has unveiled its newest branch, in Pennfield High School.

BOISE, Idaho – Capital Educators FCU has broken ground on a new branch, its seventh, in nearby Eagle.

LATRHUP VILLAGE, Mich. – Michigan First CU continues to expand its presence in the Detroit metro area with today’s opening of its second in-store branch, inside the Meijer store in Lincoln Park.

LOWELL, Mass. – Northern Massachusetts Telephone Workers' CU said it purchased a former Haverhill Bank branch in nearby Haverhill, one of two branches that belonged to a one-time credit union acquired by the bank in 2008.

Nearly two-thirds of failed-bank customers either switched to another bank or were likely to change banks in the months following a takeover assisted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., according to a survey set to be released Thursday by the Deloitte Center for Banking Solutions.

MIDWEST

Sheshunoff Consulting and Solutions has acquired the consulting subsidiary of United Community Banks Inc. in Blairsville, Ga.

The Federal Trade Commission charged a payday loan operation with illegally trying to garnish borrowers’ wages and using other illegal collection practices. The FTC seeks to stop these practices and require the operators to surrender improperly collected money so it can be used for consumer refunds.

Atlantic Southern Financial Group of Macon, Ga., has agreed to obtain Federal Reserve approval for paying dividends or taking on debt.

With its latest deal, Investors Bancorp Inc. has made strides toward achieving two of its goals: extending its reach to New York City and adding to its commercial loan portfolio.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – ESL FCU, still unpacking from its move into its new headquarters, opened its first downtown branch in this upstate New York city this week as part of the $52 million project.

Charter Bank in Bellevue, Wash., is changing its name to better reflect its mission of serving high-net-worth individuals and their businesses.

Central Valley Community Bancorp in Fresno, Calif., filed Tuesday to register roughly 1.3 million shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Community Bank of the Bay in Oakland, Calif., raised $5 million of fresh capital Monday, after closing the first tranche of a public offering.

Mercantile Bancorp Inc. of Quincy, Ill., said Tuesday that it narrowed its fourth-quarter loss to $4.3 million, from $6.7 million a year earlier.

As job creation is the ultimate objective of President Obama's plans to stimulate small-business lending, it is critical for community banks to maintain strict underwriting guidelines and adhere to the fundamentals of lending.