The Lede

Origination News, Oct. 6, 2015--Peters, Andy The Mortgage Bankers Association added educational material to its website to help consumers buy a home.

National Mortgage Professional, Oct. 6, 2015--Hall, Phil Home prices are still in ascension, but mortgage credit availability is barely inching up, according to a pair of new data reports.

Origination News, Oct. 6, 2015--Macheel, Tanaya Mortgage credit availability increased in September on offerings of Freddie Mac's affordable lending programs, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

TheStreet.com, Oct. 6, 2015--Notte, Jason The TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule, known as TRID, produces a shorter stack of paper before closing, but it also makes a nice set of shackles if you're making changes before sealing the deal. It should be simple, but right now there's a bit of a learning curve for lenders and title companies, which could delay the closing date.

Bloomberg, Oct. 6, 2015--Yu, Hui-Yong MetLife Inc. is taking a majority stake in a 43-story office tower being built next to San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center, expanding the biggest U.S. life insurer's holdings in one of the country's most expensive office markets.

HousingWire, Oct. 6, 2015--Lane, Ben Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are offering relief to the thousands of homeowners affected by the devastating floods in South Carolina.

HousingWire, Oct. 6, 2015--Garrison, Trey Seven years after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship, there is still a lack of consensus on how to reform the GSEs.

Wall Street Journal, Oct. 6, 2015--Davidson, Kate The U.S. trade gap widened sharply in August, suggesting trade will weigh on economic growth in the third quarter as a strong dollar and a slowdown overseas curb demand for U.S.-made goods.

Reuters, Oct. 7, 2015--Freed, Dan JPMorgan Chase & Co, looking to stem falling revenue in its mortgage business as fewer Americans refinance, is increasingly buying loans from smaller lenders, a practice that competitors including Bank of America view as risky.

New York Times, Oct. 6, 2015--Goldstein, Matthew; Abrams, Rachel The rapid growth of Caliber Home Loans, a mortgage company owned by the private equity giant Lone Star Funds, has led to a surge in consumer complaints. Now it has led to regulatory scrutiny of Caliber's business practices.

Cincinnati Enquirer Oct. 6, 2015--Coolidge, Alexander Fifth Third admitted on Tuesday it improperly certified more than 1,400 mortgage loans it knew were defective as eligible for Federal Housing Administration insurance, costing taxpayers millions. Now, the Cincinnati-based regional bank will pay $85 million to settle a civil fraud claims, federal authorities said Tuesday.

American Banker, Oct. 7, 2015--Adler, Joe The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's impending proposal, to be reviewed by a small business advisory panel, would block companies from using arbitration clauses to avoid class actions but allow them for individuals.

Legendary comedian Jay Leno and former Defense Secretary Gen. Colin Powell keynote the Mortgage Bankers Association's 102nd Annual Convention & Expo, Oct. 19-22 in San Diego.