The Lede

National Mortgage News, June 22, 2016--Sichelman, Lew In something of a cruel irony, homebuilders are finding constraints on construction financing easing, but little in the way of quality lots on which to put up their houses.

CNBC, June 22, 2016--Olick, DianaMortgage rates fell to their lowest level in three years, sending borrowers back to the bank to refinance home loans. "Rates fell on concerns that Britain may vote to leave the European Union later this week," said Mortgage Bankers Association Vice President of Research Lynn Fisher. "Although beliefs about the likelihood of an exit have since moderated, the 'Brexit' vote promises to bring continued volatility to markets."

Housing Wire, June 22, 2016--Lane, BenThe fees that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge lenders to guarantee mortgage loans actually serve as a tax on consumers and prevent more potential borrowers from becoming actual borrowers, a coalition of the nation's largest housing groups including the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday.

Chicago Tribune, June 22, 2016Americans snapped up houses in May almost as soon as properties were listed, fueling the strongest sales rate in nearly a decade.

Bloomberg, June 22, 2016--Salisbury, Ian Once an economic driver, housing has been slow to recover from the financial crisis.

Bloomberg, June 22, 2016--Light, JoePresident Obama's former point man on housing-finance reform Michael Stegman is taking a job with a think tank that has sought to play a major role in shaping rules for a world without mortgage guarantors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac--at least in their current form.

Bloomberg, June 22, 2016--Gopal, PrashantU.S. home prices rose 5.9 percent in April from a year earlier as job growth spurred competition for a limited number of listings.

New Hampshire Business Review, June 22, 2016--Feingold, JeffTwo more voices--the Federal Reserve and money management firm PIMCO--joined the growing chorus of concern over the state of the U.S. commercial real estate market.

Wall Street Journal, June 22, 2016--Hayashi, Yuka The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said it found "numerous" mortgage servicers, essentially middlemen between lenders and borrowers, in violation of its 2014 rules requiring them to maintain accurate records.

Washington Post, June 22, 2016--Harney, Kenneth R. Mike Fratantoni, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, says the mortgage market overall is strong, rejection rates have not increased and the high credit-score averages on Fannie-Freddie loans reflect an important shift  underway. Premium reductions at FHA, coupled with premium increases by private mortgage insurers, have driven more sub-700 FICO buyers to FHA and away from Fannie and Freddie, he suggests. Nearly 40 percent of new-purchase loans at FHA last month had scores between 650 and 699, and 20 percent were between 600 and 649.

Wall Street Journal, June 23, 2016--Adamy, Janet; Overberg, Paul White Americans no longer account for the majority in hundreds of counties across the U.S., a trend transforming America's social and political landscape as Latinos, Asians and blacks outpace white population growth, according to census figures out Thursday.

Wall Street Journal, June 23, 2016--Flynn, Alexis Voters headed to polling booths across the U.K. on Thursday, casting their ballots in a historic referendum on leaving the European Union that pits a vision of Britain untethered and resurgent against bleak predictions of economic turbulence and global insecurity.

National Mortgage News, June 22, 2016--Finkelstein, Brad Black Knight Financial Services, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based mortgage technology company, acquired Motivity Solutions, the companies announced. Price was not disclosed.