The Lede

Mortgage Media, Feb. 4, 2019Talking with Mortgage Media's SA Ibrahim at the MBA Independent Mortgage Bankers conference in San Francisco last week, MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB, said when he took the reins of the Mortgage Bankers Association five months ago, he knew it was a pivotal time for the industry.

MarketWatch, Feb. 4, 2019--Andrea RiquierThat data point, courtesy of the Mortgage Bankers Association, is a reminder--perhaps an uncomfortable one--that the mortgage industry must still offer products that make it artificially affordable to get people in the door, with the intention of refinancing later.

National Real Estate Investor, Feb. 04, 2019--Beth Mattson-TeigOne of the big windfalls for real estate professionals in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the opportunity to take up to a 20 percent deduction of income from pass-through entities. But some uncertainty clouding the picture may be taking some of the wind out of the sales of that enthusiasm.

Washington Post Writers Group, Feb. 4, 2019--Kenneth HarneyA new statistical review, conducted for this column by mortgage network Lending Tree--based on more than 1 million actual loan offers during 2018--suggests that, depending on market conditions, a "good" 700 FICO score could get you nearly as attractive a rate deal as someone with an 800-plus score.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 4, 2019--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)The New York Department of Financial Services disapproved the merger between Fidelity National Financial and Stewart Information Services, regulatory filings from both title insurance underwriters said.

American Banker, Feb. 4, 2019--Kate Berry (subscription)The White House and Senate Banking Committee are pursuing parallel tracks to end the GSEs' federal conservatorships. Any resulting plan must deal with whether GSE-backed mortgages are still exempt from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Qualified Mortgage rule. "Not doing something to extend the patch would be highly disruptive," said Bob Broeksmit, the president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 4, 2019-Paul Kiernan (subscription)A growing minority of banks reported tightening their standards for some loans in the fourth quarter and said they expected loan demand and performance to weaken, the Federal Reserve said Monday.

HousingWire, Feb. 4, 2019--Ben LaneMr. Cooper, the nonbank formerly known as Nationstar Mortgage, has now finalized its acquisition of Pacific Union Financial.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 4, 2019--Paul Centopani (free article)Popular TV shows about house fixers and flippers have sparked consumer interest in remodeling, creating an opportunity for lenders to build a specialty in renovation loans while traditional mortgage lending is weak.