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Volume 25 Issue 33

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Federal Officials Talk Top Housing, Servicing Priorities

GRAPEVINE, Texas--Efficiency, liquidity and education were top themes when three federal housing officials took the stage to discuss their accomplishments so far and priorities moving forward at the Mortgage Bankers Association Servicing Solutions Conference and Expo Feb. 17.

Escrow Understanding Steady, But Misconceptions Persist, LERETA Finds

More than three in five borrowers say they completely understand how a mortgage escrow account works. But confusion remains around how escrow can affect the monthly total payment, according to LERETA, Pomona, Calif.

January New Home Purchase Mortgage Applications Increased 2%, MBA Reports

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Builder Application Survey for January 2026 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 2% from a year ago. Compared to December 2025, applications increased by 19%.

MBA VIDEOS

mPower Moments: Leading Through Digital Disruption with Dr. Tracey Wilen

mPower Moments: Leading Through Digital Disruption with Dr. Tracey Wilen

MBA's Bob Broeksmit on the Importance of Investing in MISMO

MBA's Bob Broeksmit on the Importance of Investing in MISMO

MBA Eye on Washington

MBA Eye on Washington

MBA Research Minute

MBA Research Minute

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TOP NATIONAL NEWS

Fed Officials Split on Where Interest Rates Should Go, Minutes Say
The Federal Reserve Wants to Change How You Shop for a Mortgage
How Down Payment Assistance can Help you buy Your First Home
Land Grab for Data Centers Is One More Obstacle to Much-Needed Housing

UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEWS

MISMO Boot Camp Online, Feb. 23-24
AI Mortgage Change Champion Workshop: Charlotte, N.C. Apr. 9
MBA Secondary & Capital Markets Conference in New York City May 17-20
MBA Connect Community Platform Upgrades to Thrive

Fitch: Strong New Issuance Drives CMBS Delinquency Rate Lower

Fitch Ratings, Chicago, reported that the overall U.S. commercial mortgage-backed securities delinquency rate decreased 5 basis points in January to 3.32%.

February 18, 2026

MBA NewsLink Q&A: A Lender’s Guide to Title Insurance

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MBA NewsLink recently interviewed Chris Porto, director of title and closing operations with SingleSource Property Solutions, Canonsburg, Pa.

February 18, 2026

Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

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Mortgage applications increased 2.8% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Feb. 13, 2026.

February 18, 2026

Owen Lee: Servicing Helps Keep American Dream Alive

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GRAPEVINE, Texas--“Thanks to your hard work, millions of people are safe in their dream of homeownership,” said Owen Lee, 2026 MBA chair-elect and CEO of Success Mortgage Partners at the MBA Servicing Solutions Conference and Expo.

February 18, 2026

Premier Member Editorial: The Next Mortgage Cycle Belongs to Intelligent Automation, Not AI Hype

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nCino Mortgage's Casey Logan Williams writes that technology such as intelligent automation (IA) genuinely streamlines workflows and cuts through the friction that slows lenders down.

February 18, 2026

MISMO Link: A New MISMO Member Benefit

MISMO Members are using MISMO Link, Powered by Viant Eye, a brand-new web-based platform that modernizes how MISMO standards are explored, developed, validated, and implemented across the mortgage industry.

February 18, 2026

The Art of Asking

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Mary Kay Scully, director of customer education at Enact, examines how lenders turn a great experience into more business.

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One Voice. One Vision. One Resource. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the entire real estate finance industry. For more information visit us at our website.
President and CEO: Robert Broeksmit, CMB
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Marketing: John Mechem
Editor: Michael Tucker | 202/557-2851
Editorial Manager: Anneliese Mahoney | 202/557-2938
Senior Advertising & Editorial Specialist: Emani Curry | 202/557-2774
Advertising Opportunities: Bill Farmakis | 203/834-8832