The Lede

National Mortgage News, Oct. 20, 2015--Berry, Kate Housing finance reform in Congress is stalled, but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (often under pressure from their regulator) are forming partnerships, developing new products and finding ways to share risk with the private sector to correct flaws in the housing system.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 20, 2015--Collins, Brian Private mortgage insurers are seeking a larger share of the credit risk on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-guaranteed loans.

MarketWatch, Oct. 20, 2015--Goldstein, Daniel New federal loan disclosure rules that were designed to help borrowers understand what they were signing at their home's closing have had a bumpy rollout because of fighting in Congress and incompatible mortgage software, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's director Richard Cordray admitted to mortgage lenders.

The News & Observer (N.C.), Oct. 20, 2015--Harney, Kenneth R. It's been less than an month since the nationwide changeover in mortgage and settlement procedures took effect, but the early results are trickling in: Lenders and brokers say just about everything is taking longer and the costs to homebuyers are moving up.

HousingWire, Oct. 20, 2015--Garrison, Trey Changes are coming that will make the current Home Mortgage Data Act seriously more complex and complicated, with the drop last week of the proposed rule expanding the data to be reported while revising the formatting and tools involved.

National Mortgage Professional, Oct. 20, 2015--Hall, Phil In remarks delivered before the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention in San Diego, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Cordray insisted that "unsupported hyperbole" surrounding the potential problems connected to the Qualified Mortgage and Ability-to-Repay  rules could not obscure the Bureau's insistence that these changes were necessary.

MarketWatch, Oct. 20, 2015--Goldstein, Daniel Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton told an audience at the Mortgage Bankers Association annual convention in San Diego on Monday that the surprise announcement last year by FHFA Director Mel Watt instructing his company and Freddie Mac to buy loans with down payments as low as 3% was a net positive and that more low down payment products could be on their way in the next year or so.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 20, 2015--Finkelstein, Brad Ginnie Mae's limited resources are going to be focused on working with its existing issuers, especially those that are not creating new securities, according to its president, Ted Tozer.

Chicago Tribune, Oct. 20, 2015--Marks Jarvis, Gail Two initiatives announced this week may make it easier for millennials and middle-income homebuyers, who typically have a hard time getting mortgages, to get the financing they need.

DS News, Oct. 20, 2015--Honea, Brian The composite consumer credit default index tumbled by seven basis points from August to September, driven by substantial declines in both the first and second mortgage default rates, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices and S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices for September 2015 released Tuesday.

Wall Street Journal, Oct. 20, 2015--Lahart, Justin Home builders profess themselves a happy lot. But if they don't start building a lot more houses, their shareholders may not be.

SAN DIEGO--The Mortgage Bankers Association's 102nd Annual Convention & Expo concludes today with several sessions of interest. 

SAN DIEGO--The Mortgage Bankers Association Political Action Committee (MORPAC) honored Rick Arvielo, CEO of New American Funding, with the 2015 Schumacher-Bolduc Award.

SAN DIEGO--The Mortgage Bankers Association presented Jim and Judy Deitch and the Deitch Family Foundation with the MBA Opens Doors Foundation Community Champion Award.