The Lede
Top National News
Mortgage Applications Drop 3.3% on Fewer Refinances
CNBC, Mar. 16, 2016--Olick, Diana
Total mortgage application volume fell 3.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
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Housing Starts Up, Mortgage Apps Down
National Mortgage Professional, Mar. 16, 2016--Hall, Phil
Single-family housing starts in February were at a rate of 822,000, a 7.2 percent increase from the revised January figure of 767,000, according to data released this morning by the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD.
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First-Time Homebuyers Lose Out During the Busy U.S. Homebuying Season
HousingWire, Mar. 16, 2016--Barraza, Cynthia
Many house hunters are facing difficulty in purchasing a home by the lack in homes being built as well as facing limited inventory and finding a home in in-demand cities.
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It Might Be a Little Easier to Obtain a Mortgage
Consumer Affairs, Mar. 16, 2016--Huffman, Mark
On Tuesday the Federal Housing Administration proposed new certifications that both lenders and consumer advocates suggest might help more people qualify for a mortgage.
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Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged, Lowers Outlook for Further Increases
Wall Street Journal, Mar. 16, 2016--Hilsenrath, Jon; Torry, Harriet
Federal Reserve officials reduced estimates of how much they expect to raise short-term interest rates in 2016 and beyond, nodding to lingering risks to the economic outlook posed by soft global growth and financial-market volatility.
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Why Homeowners Need Representation
National Mortgage Professional, Mar. 16, 2016--Lykken, David
We need to be held to a higher standard if we want to survive and thrive in a tough economy. The better represented consumers are, the more prosperous they will be. And, as consumers become more prosperous, so can the mortgage industry.
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CFPB Director Cordray: Credit Unions Misrepresent Mortgage Success
HousingWire, Mar. 16, 2016--Gaffney, Jacob
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, appearing before the House Financial Services Committee, said consumer complaints against mortgage lenders and servicers are nearly at a half million.
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U.S. Data Points to Firming Economy, Inflation
Reuters, Mar. 16, 2016--Mutikani, Lucia
Underlying U.S. inflation increased more than expected in February as rents and medical costs maintained their upward trend, which could keep the Federal Reserve on course to gradually raise interest rates this year.
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Upcoming MBA Education School of Mortgage Banking Courses
For more than 60 years, industry professionals have looked to the Mortgage Bankers Association's School of Mortgage Banking to give them a solid foundation of industry knowledge.
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