Endorsements of new loans under the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program continued to slide as production fell significantly during first half of 2012. HECM production declined by 25.0 percent from the same period last year to $7.1 billion and fell 4.9 percent from the first to the second quarter. In-house originations accounted for almost all originations reported by top HECM lenders. Initial principal amount at loan origination totaled $4.7 billion. MetLife Bank led all lenders with $2.03 billion, an estimated 63 percent originated in house, and captured a 28.5 percent market share. Production rose 21.6 percent ... [One chart]