The Lede

Washington Post, Apr. 27, 2017--Dion HaynesAfter steadily decreasing for much of April, mortgage rates ticked up last week largely following a rise in Treasury bond yields.

MarketWatch, Apr. 27, 2017--Jacob PassyThe mortgage-interest deduction has withstood years of criticism, despite the fact that middle-class Americans aren't the ones getting the tax break. It's really popular with existing homeowners. And the real-estate industry has been successful in uniting in its defense.

National Mortgage News, Apr. 27, 2017--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)The Hamilton, Bermuda-based holding company had first-quarter net income of $241.9 million, compared with $149.3 million a year ago.

National Mortgage News, Apr. 27, 2017--Allison Bisbey (subscription)The bill, sponsored by Rep. Robert Pittenger, R-N.C., and Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., would clarify rules that critics say have caused banks to pull back from construction lending, hurting credit availability and driving loans into risky, unregulated sectors.

HousingWire, Apr. 27, 2017--Brena SwansonTax reform, including housing-related tax reform, still has a long road ahead despite Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn revealing the Trump administration's tax plan on Wednesday.

HousingWire, Apr. 27, 2017--Ben LaneAs the Financial CHOICE Act, the Republican-crafted replacement for the Dodd-Frank Act, it will do so with the support of Steven Mnuchin, the secretary of the Department of the Treasury.

HousingWire, Apr. 27, 2017--Brena SwansonThe company noted that all of the year's operating earnings improvement emanated from more profitable consolidated underwriting and related services operations.

Bloomberg, Apr. 27, 2017--Prashant GopalThe U.S. homeownership rate is finally poised to rise significantly as household formations by owners grew faster in the first quarter than those by renters--the first time that's happened in more than a decade.

Bloomberg, Apr. 27, 2017--Joe LightFannie Mae and Freddie Mac have paid $266 billion to the U.S. Treasury. Investors say it's time for them to get paid.

GoRion, Apr. 27, 2017--Kerry CurryAs the mortgage market's refinance volume declines, lenders likely will respond with more flexible underwriting standards as they seek to qualify borrowers for purchase loans, an action that may gradually increase credit risk.

Mortgage Daily, Apr. 27, 2017Despite retreating new business at Radian Group Inc., earnings improved, the book of business expanded and loan performance was better.

Mortgage Daily, Apr. 27, 2017--Sam GarciaThis week's mortgage rates bounced off of 2017 lows last week but are not likely to move higher over the next week.

Mortgage Daily, Apr. 27, 2017The Foothill Ranch, California-based mortgage banking company serviced $34.096 billion in residential loans as of March 31.

HousingWire, Apr. 27, 2017--Ben LaneNeat Capital announced it acquired Whole Loan Solutions, which delivers advisory services to the secondary residential mortgage market.

HousingWire, Apr. 27, 2017--Ben LaneHome Point Financial Corp.'s $211 million acquisition of Stonegate Mortgage Corp. is one step closer to being finalized after Stonegate's shareholders "overwhelmingly approved" the deal during a special meeting.

National Mortgage News, Apr. 27, 2017--Ian McKendry (subscription)While lawmakers have grown increasingly pessimistic about the chances to significantly revamp the Dodd-Frank Act, they are hopeful that housing finance reform--which has bedeviled Congress for the past nine years--may finally have a shot at enactment.

MBA Education presents a webinar, Mortgage Lending & Summary of GSE Risk Share Opportunities, on Wednesday, May 24 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's annual State & Local Workshop takes place June 19-20 in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the MBA National Advocacy Conference.

MBA Education and the Appraisal Institute present the first in a four-part webinar series on Appraisals this Monday, May 1.

In this week's issue of MBA Insights: Ahead of the MBA National Secondary Market Conference & Expo, we provide a "deep dive" of the recently announced MBA white paper on GSE reform and reconfiguring the secondary mortgage market.