OPX Opteum Inc.

Opteum Financial Services, LLC, one of the nation's fastest growing mortgage lenders and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Opteum Inc. (NYSE:OPX), announced today that it has acquired the assets of privately-held Aclarian Mortgage. Aclarian is a retail mortgage lender headquartered in Sarasota, Fla. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. This acquisition strengthens Opteum's existing position along Florida's high-growth west coast market. Aclarian founder and CEO Robert DeCecco will continue to lead his team of 30+ professionals while assuming the new role of vice president, Florida regional manager, for Opteum. "This latest strategic acquisition anchors Opteum as a top retail lender in Florida and extends our growing footprint across the Southeast region," said Greg Shumate, Opteum's senior vice president and southeast regional manager. "Aclarian was an ideal match for Opteum because of its impressive record of growth and its dedication to cutting-edge origination technology, which enables superior customer service. These are our shared core principles, and we're pleased to welcome the Aclarian team, their customers and referral partners to the Opteum family." DeCecco commented, "In addition to our shared values of trust, stability and vision, both Opteum and Aclarian have been focused on delivering a Five-Star Experience to our clients and partners by leveraging the best people, process and technology this industry has to offer. Having led this company for the past three years and personally assembled one of the best teams in the business, I can honestly say that Opteum was a perfect choice to acquire Aclarian. Together, we will be a much stronger competitor throughout Florida." Opteum will now have a total of five branches in Florida, including two in Sarasota. Nationwide, Opteum operates 37 branches. About Opteum Opteum Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT), which operates an integrated mortgage-related investment portfolio and mortgage origination platform. The REIT invests primarily in, but is not limited to, residential mortgage-related securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). It earns returns on the spread between the yield on its assets and its costs, including the interest expense on the funds it borrows. Opteum's mortgage origination platform, Opteum Financial Services, originates, buys, sells, and services residential mortgages from 37 offices throughout the United States and operates as a taxable REIT subsidiary. Statements herein relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The reader is cautioned that such forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time and on management's good faith belief with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences are described in Opteum Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Opteum Inc.'s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Opteum Inc. assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements.