The Lede

National Mortgage News, Dec. 9, 2016--Berry, Kate A flood of fintech companies promise to create a better experience for mortgage borrowers, forcing lenders to contemplate buying a vendor's software, building applications in-house or even outright acquiring a company with digital expertise.

Dallas News, Dec. 9, 2016--Lamster, Mark There have been considerable developments in neurosurgery over the last fifty years. Our housing situation, on the other hand, seems only to have gotten worse.

MarketWatch, Dec. 9, 2016--Robb, Greg The Federal Reserve is going to raise interest rates next week, but shy away from the bigger question looming for financial markets: How does the shock outcome of the presidential election change the economic landscape?

Wall Street Journal, Dec. 11, 2016--Kusisto, Laura Sustained increases could lead to 'rate lock,' leaving some homeowners reluctant to trade up or down.

San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 10, 2016--Pender, Kathleen Thanks to a program that started Saturday, some homeowners won't have to pay or wait for an appraisal on certain refinance loans backed by Fannie Mae. "Some markets have a very acute appraiser shortage," said Mortgage Bankers Association Regulatory Assistant Matt Jones. "It could take a month or two months to get an appraisal."

Investors Business Daily, Dec. 11, 2016--Shreve, Ken Don't give up on real estate investment trusts just yet. They have bounced up 8 percent from their Nov. 11 low and analysts and fund managers point toward an improving economy as a catalyst in coming quarters.

Fox Business, Dec. 11, 2016 In yet another sign that the U.S. economy is continuing to improve, the leading nationwide home price index recently hit a new high, finally eclipsing that of the housing bubble from a decade ago.

Wall Street Journal, Dec. 9, 2016--Kirkham, Chris Sales of luxury homes in most parts of the U.S. have continued to increase over the last year, according to an analysis of more than 40 high-end counties in 16 states, despite concerns from some analysts about a slowdown.

National Mortgage Professional, Dec. 9, 2016--Hall, Phil The 2017 renewal period for the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System is "off to a strong start," according to the State Regulatory Registry LLC, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors subsidiary that owns and operates the NMLS.

HousingWire, Dec. 9, 2016--Lane, Ben Wells Fargo is reportedly ready to take the next step in its attempt to climb back out of the hole it dug itself after a scandal enveloped the bank involving 5,000 of the bank's former employees opening as many as 2 million accounts without authorization in order to get sales bonuses.

Mortgage Daily, Dec. 9, 2016 As quarterly home lending took a giant leap at Finance of America Holdings LLC, the mortgage servicing portfolio expanded and staffing increased.

Mortgage Daily, Dec. 9, 2016 MC Financial has plans to expand its Los Angeles office, which opened in 2014.

Mortgage Daily, Dec. 9, 2016--Garcia, Sam As appraisers urge the nation's lawmakers to reduce the amount of regulations appraisers are subject to, service providers are helping lenders maintain their own compliance.

UExpress, Dec. 9, 2016--Sichelman, Lew Building codes are a set of minimum design and construction requirements set forth to protect the public health, safety and welfare, and they're rooted in ancient history.

New York Times, Dec. 12, 2016--Carrns, Ann This "modest" change is another recognition that housing markets have recovered from the real-estate crash, said David Stevens, chief executive of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Reuters, Dec. 9, 2016--Raymond, Nate David Demos, 35, was charged with securities fraud in an indictment filed in federal court in New Haven, Connecticut, becoming the latest trader to face charges for cheating customers on prices of mortgage-backed securities.

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