The Lede

Forbes, Apr. 4, 2017--Clint GharibTraditional mortgage applications are flagged if an applicant's income decreases by 25% or more from the previous year, regardless of income level. Banks used to review these situations case by case, but they now follow stricter guidelines.

HousingWire, Apr. 4, 2017--Kelsey RamirezFlagstar Bancorp, a savings and loan holding company, announced its acquisition of certain assets of Opes Advisors, a full-service mortgage bank and financial advisory firm.

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 4, 2017--David Harrison; Ben Leubsdorf; Michael S. Derby (subscription)Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker said he was stepping down effective Tuesday in a statement that revealed his involvement in an alleged 2012 leak of confidential Fed information.

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 4, 2017--Emily Glazer (subscription)J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Chief James Dimon laid out his wishlist of regulatory changes in his annual shareholder letter Tuesday, calling for simpler and better coordinated rules that could help to spur more lending and in turn economic growth.

National Mortgage News, Apr. 4, 2017--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Over the next 18 months, 35% of the millennials responding said they would consider applying for a HELOC versus 15% of Gen-Xers and 4% of baby boomers, a survey of over 1,350 U.S. homeowners conducted for TD Bank found.

GoRion, Apr. 4, 2017--Mark FogartyAlternative mortgages will present investors a $150 billion minimum choice versus agency product in 2017, even if the overall origination market declines, according to one executive whose firm is starting to securitize non-QM loans.

Reuters, Apr. 4, 2017--Lisa Lambert; Sarah N. LynchThe clock began running out this week on a strategy that has provided U.S. Republicans in Congress with their only notable legislative successes this year: aggressive use of an obscure U.S. law known as the Congressional Review Act.

National Real Estate Investor, Apr. 4, 2017--Bendix AndersonJust when lenders and borrowers thought interest rates would finally start to rise in 2017, interest rates stopped going up. Lenders are struggling to adapt. But they keep on lending.

NPR, Apr. 4, 2017--Anya KamenetzAttending college can boost your earning power, but student debt can affect your chances of owning a home, a new Federal Reserve Bank of New York report said.

Scotsman Guide, Apr. 4, 2017--Victor WhitmanDespite the early-year slowdown in sales, the Mortgage Bankers Association projected a record year for commercial and multifamily originations.

National Mortgage News, Apr. 4, 2017--Ian McKendry (subscription)Although the Dodd-Frank Act made some positive changes, including requiring stress tests and giving government the power to unwind large banking companies, the weight of its regulations is killing small banks, Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America, said Tuesday.

Mortgage Daily, Apr. 4, 2017Millions of dollars in recent settlements were disclosed with several firms for not meeting Federal Housing Administration mortgagee requirements. More than 100 firms were penalized for late recertification reports.

Chicago Tribune, Apr. 4, 2017--Becky YerakPeople make mistakes; that's what Victor Ciardelli, chief executive officer and founder of Chicago-based mortgage provider Guaranteed Rate Mortgage, said when he learned that his company's new business development director has blemishes on her work record, including a revoked real estate license.

MBA Education presents a new webinar, Understanding the Economic Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion, on Thursday, Apr. 6 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.