Mortgage Daily, July 2, 2018As serious mortgage delinquency fell to the lowest level since last year at Fannie Mae, new business jumped to the second-highest level this year.
Category: Top National News

Record Low Rate-Term Refi Business
Mortgage Daily, June 29, 2018The U.S. Mortgage Market Index, published by Mortgage Daily based on average per-user rate-lock volume by clients of OpenClose, was virtually unchanged in the week ended June 29.

30-Year Mortgage Rate Drops Again
Washington Post, June 28, 2018–V. Dion HaynesThe 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped the fourth time in the past five weeks, according to data released by Freddie Mac on Thursday, giving potential homeowners a reprieve before expected increases hit the market later this year. (MBA mention)

The Rise of the Older, Single Female Home Buyer
Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2018–Katy McLaughlin (subscription)Unmarried women over 55 is one of the largest, and fastest-growing, demographics of home buyers. With longer lifespans and careers, many look for homes with ‘no bad memories.’

Fed Conducts Stress Test on U.S. Households
Mortgage Daily, June 28, 2018A report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that while the household sector is still vulnerable to severe home-price declines, it has recently become less risky.

The Digital Transformation of Mortgage is More Than Just Tech
Mortgage Orb, June 28, 2018–Patrick BarnardWhether they’re deploying “off-the-shelf” digital POS solutions from the leading fintechs or developing their own systems in-house, the shift to a purchase market means lenders are now scrambling to deploy digital POSs in order to capture new business and reduce operating costs.

Purchases Drive Down Risk of Mortgage App Fraud
Mortgage Daily, June 28, 2018A significant improvement in application fraud on loans to finance home purchases pulled down overall risk from a month earlier and a year earlier, First American Financial Corp. said.

Mortgage CEO Resigns after Judge Orders Him to Pay $3M in Waitress Grope Assault
Inman News, June 28, 2018–Patrick KearnsE Mortgage Management of Cherry Hill, N.J., announced CEO Gregory Englelbe’s resignation after a judge ordered him to pay $3 million to a waitress he allegedly groped in a Philadelphia restaurant two years ago.

Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Dinged in Fed Stress Tests
Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2018–Liz Hoffman, Lalita Clozel (subscription)Regulators cleared most of the largest U.S. banks to increase their dividends and share buybacks, but forced two Wall Street titans, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley, to freeze those payouts at recent levels.

Former Bankrate CFO Admits to Defrauding Shareholders Out of $25 Million
HousingWire, June 28, 2018–Ben LaneEdward DiMaria pleaded guilty this week to one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a public company’s accountants, falsify a public company’s books, records and accounts, and commit securities fraud; plus one count of making materially false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission.