Oops! What if Flood Insurance Lapses?

Mortgage Compliance Magazine, Apr. 17, 2017No matter how or why lenders have required flood insurance on a property, if the flood insurance lapses during the term of the covered loan, it’s a problem.

Builders Bet Tiny Apartments Will Lure Renters

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 15, 2017–Laura Kusisto (subscription)Since Hannah Toth set out a few months ago to move out of her parents’ home in suburban Pittsburgh, she has seen plenty of airy apartments of up to 900 square feet. What caught her eye is a 360-square-foot studio roughly the size of her childhood bedroom.

Manhattan Rental Market Warms Up After a Long Winter

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 13, 2017–Josh Barbanel (subscription)Manhattan rents rose modestly in March across all apartment sizes after months of weak performance, according to market reports released on Thursday.

Multifamily and Commercial Originations Approach Past Highs

National Mortgage News, Apr. 6, 2017–Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)Commercial and multifamily mortgage bankers originated $490.6 billion closed loans in 2016, making it the third strongest year on record despite the pressure higher rates have put on volume, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

The New Sears Home Is an Affordable Apartment

Bloomberg, Apr. 6, 2017–Patrick Clark; Kim BhasinIn February, a nonprofit called Mercy Housing Lakefront opened 181 units of affordable rental apartments in a building that once housed Sears’s catalog printing plant.

Is the Trump Administration Serious about Restoring Glass-Steagall?

National Mortgage News, Apr. 6, 2017–Ian McKendry (subscription)Observers are divided whether National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn’s support for a modernized Glass-Steagall Act is purely opportunistic or a sincere wish to significantly reshape the financial services industry.

Zillow: Renters Will Need to Earn More to Cover Housing Costs

National Mortgage Professional, Apr. 7, 2017–Phil HallRenters will need to raise their incomes by an average of $168 a year to keep up with expected rent increases over the next 12 months, according to a new forecast from Zillow, which added that median rent prices are predicted to be $1,420 at this time next year.