Category: Top National News

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 10, 2017–Ryan Dezember (subscription)Two of the country’s largest single-famly rental-home owners, Blackstone Group LP’s Invitation Homes and Starwood Waypoint Homes, agreed to merge in a deal that would create a giant landlord with roughly 82,000 homes in 17 metro areas.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 10, 2017As losses continued at Walter Investment Management Corp., the company warned about its ongoing viability and restated income for prior period. Home lending tumbled.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 10, 2017A new tool helps mortgage-banking firms with the daunting task of monitoring their loan origination staffs’ use of social media and regulatory compliance.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 10, 2017–Sam GarciaA modest reduction in rates for single-family loans was made this week. Next week’s report is likely to reflect an even bigger improvement.

HousingWire, Aug. 10, 2017–Brena SwansonThe demand from consumers who are looking to buy an existing home is spilling over into new home purchases, according to a new report from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Bloomberg, Aug. 10, 2017–Wes Goodman and Liz McCormickFor all the talk that Janet Yellen’s plan to shrink the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet will hurt Treasuries, U.S. mortgage bonds face a bigger test.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 9, 2017As the parent of PHH Mortgage continues to execute on its strategy to shrink its mortgage business, losses grew from a year earlier as originations and servicing were slashed.

National Real Estate Investor, Aug. 9, 2017–Beth Mattson-TeigWhile commercial real estate crowdfunding firms haven’t disrupted the market, the top players have worked to continue to raise capital and find ways to make their bets.

Here’s what the Fed’s Evans thinks about the economy and interest ratesMarketWatch, Aug. 9, 2017–Greg RobbThe Fed can put off any discussion of another hike in short-term rates until December and at the moment, his support for another move even then is not a given, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said Wednesday.

CNBC, Aug. 9, 2017–Diana OlickA drop in interest rates drove homeowners and homebuyers to the mortgage market last week. “Mortgage rates decreased last week, which led to the highest volume of refinance applications since mid-June,” said Mortgage Bankers Association Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni.