LendingTree lays off 440

“LendingTree has laid off 20 percent of its work force nationwide, with some of the cuts coming from its office in Irvine. The online lending and realty-services exchange, which has 2,200 employees, cites the slump in the mortgage industry. The layoffs occurred Friday. In addition to Irvine, the cuts also came from the company’s offices in Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla. ”The mortgage market has changed dramatically over the last quarter,” says company spokeswoman Rebecca Anderson. “This decision was a proactive move to adapt to the current market.”