Wall Street Journal, Jan. 9, 2019–Keiko Morris (subscription)The owners of the 1930 art deco office tower–an Abu Dhabi government fund and New York developer Tishman Speyer–have hired CBRE Group Inc. to market the property, according to Darcy Stacom, chairman of the firm’s New York City capital markets group.
Category: Top National News

Fintechs May Finally Win Charter Chase in 2019
American Banker, Jan. 9, 2019–Rachel Witkowski (subscription)The headwinds blowing at fintech firms seeking a national chartering option are still fierce. But observers believe 2019 is the year that a multistate licensing regime will officially arrive.

Movement Mortgage Buying Big Piece of Lennar Home Mortgage
HousingWire, Jan. 9, 2019–Ben LaneMovement Mortgage is set to acquire the retail operations of Eagle Home Mortgage, adding 35 branches and 230 mortgage professionals to Movement’s operations.

MBA: Commercial Lenders Expect a Strong Year
Scotsman Guide, Jan. 8, 2019–Victor WhitmanCommercial lenders remained bullish about the year ahead, a new survey conducted by the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Unpaid Federal Workers Owe More than $400 Million in Mortgage and Rent Payments This Month
MarketWatch, Jan. 8, 2019–Jacob PassyAltogether, unpaid federal workers – including roughly 380,000 furloughed employees and 420,000 people working without pay – owe around $438 million in mortgage and rent payments in January, according to a report published Tuesday by real-estate firm Zillow.

Private Equity Firm Acquires ATTOM Data Solutions
National Mortgage Professional, Jan. 8, 2019–Phil HallThe Irvine, Calif.-based ATTOM, originally known as RealtyTrac, was founded in 1996 and acquired by Renovo Capital through its Renwood Opportunities Fund in November 2011. ATTOM’s data reports cover more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties, focusing on real estate, mortgage, insurance, marketing and adjacent industries.

12 Mortgage Power Players to Watch in 2019
National Mortgage News, Jan. 8, 2019–Paul Centopani, Austin Kilgore (free article)Bob Broeksmit took over as president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association in August. Can he keep the positive momentum going amid significant industry shifts? How will the trade group pivot its lobbying with a divided Congress?

FHA Asks Mortgage Industry to Help Unpaid Federal Workers with their Mortgages
HousingWire, Jan. 8, 2019–Ben LaneThe Federal Housing Administration announced late Tuesday that it is calling on all approved mortgagees and lenders to be “sensitive to the financial hardships experienced by borrowers as a result of the shutdown,” including borrowers who are subject to furlough, layoff, or a reduction in income due to the shutdown.

First- and Second-Home Buyers Can Expect Discounts in 2019
Bloomberg, Jan. 9, 2019–James TarmyThe luxury real estate market in 018 wasn’t great for home buyers or sellers. In 2019, every market indicator points to things getting worse.

High Level of New Construction Will Continue to Strain Apartment Demand in 2019
National Real Estate Investor, Jan. 8, 2019–Bendix AndersonDevelopers will keep adding pressure on the apartment sector in 2019, with plans to open hundreds of thousands of new luxury units in 2019.