The Lede

Chicago Tribune, Feb. 20, 2018--Kenneth HarneyCall it buried tax treasure for homeowners: deep inside the behemoth 654-page bipartisan budget bill recently signed into law by President Donald Trump are little-noticed extensions of key tax code benefits that expired in 2016, but now can be used for upcoming 2017 tax filings.

Curbed, Feb. 20, 2018--Jeff AndrewsFor prospective homebuyers, rising rates might put some pressure on finding a home sooner than later, as rates are unlikely to get better than they are now.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 20, 2018--Emily Nonko (subscription)Building inspectors who used to rely on binoculars and ladders are turning to drones to check property exteriors for signs of damage or deterioration that could lead to injuries. But use of drones for this purpose is causing a dilemma.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 20, 2018--AnnaMaria Andriotis (subscription)Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to Equifax on Tuesday asking the company to extend its offer of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to at least three years for breach victims.

Bloomberg, Feb. 20, 2018--Greg Stohr, Joe LightThe U.S. Supreme Court dealt hedge funds and other big investors a blow Tuesday by refusing to revive core parts of lawsuits that challenged the federal government's capture of billions of dollars in profits generated by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 20, 2018In an effort to cut operational costs, increase efficiencies and address the declining number of real estate appraisers, home lenders are expected to use more appraisal alternatives.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 20, 2018Five mortgage-related companies were rated among Fortune magazine's 100-best employers by their workforce.

National Real Estate Investor, Feb. 20, 2018--Bendix AndersonApartment properties are becoming more expensive to build, straining development budgets.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 20, 2018--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)Government bond market fluctuations have renewed concerns about rising mortgage rates and may prompt borrowers to take more notice of what mortgage lenders are charging on a local level.

HousingWire, Feb. 20, 2018--Caroline BasileAs part of the transaction, Flagstar will bring on Santander's existing relationship managers, adding the employees to its warehouse business. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

HousingWire, Feb. 20, 2018--Ben LaneBaker, who also serves as the president of Reverse Mortgage Solutions, replaces Anthony Renzi, who served as the company's CEO for just over a year.

MBA Education presents a webinar, The Rise of Insurtech: Insurance for Modern Mortgages on Monday, Mar. 19 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.