The Lede

Bloomberg, Aug. 25, 2017--Joe LightRivals are pressing hard to break FICO's lock on scoring credit risk but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are skeptical of what benefits the change would bring.

The Real Deal South Florida, Aug. 25, 2017--Grace GuarnieriTo compete with online lenders such as Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage, big banks are looking for help from a tech start-up to speed up the mortgage application process.

CNBC, Aug. 25, 2017--Diana OlickThe Federal Reserve is about to shed much of its investment in mortgage-backed bonds. Homebuyers could also be facing a change in the mortgage interest tax deduction.

Reuters, Aug. 25, 2017Low inflation and a strong labor market in the United States are allowing the Federal Reserve to be "patient" about when it next raises interest rates, Fed Governor Jerome Powell said Friday.

Washington Post, Aug. 25, 2017--Jennifer McKimAcross the nation, an increasing number of seniors are facing foreclosure after taking out reverse mortgages, either because they fell behind on property charges or failed to meet other requirements of the complex mortgage loans, according to federal data and interviews with consumer and housing specialists.

Los Angeles Times, Aug. 27, 2017--Jim PuzzangheraRepublicans crafting legislation to overhaul the federal tax system and cut rates are considering placing new limits on the home mortgage interest deduction. And thousands of Californians could feel the pain.

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 27, 2017--Christina Rexrode (subscription)Home-equity lines of credit and cash-out mortgage refinances, two products that let consumers spend the windfall of home ownership, are back in vogue with consumers. That reflects growing confidence and is a potential benefit to the U.S. economy as homeowners have more money to spend.

HousingWire, Aug. 25, 2017--Ben LaneThe company said it recently completed a "successful" testing period for its wholesale channel and is now accepting mortgage broker applications.

Herald-Tribune (Fla.), Aug. 26, 2017--Kenneth R. HarneyThere will be no modernization of the mortgage giants' controversial scoring systems before mid-2019 at the earliest, according to Fannie's and Freddie's top government regulator.

Slate, Aug. 25, 2017--Daniel GrossThere are only so many people in the country with good credit and lots of cash sitting around. And this week, we got evidence that one of America's largest industries may be running into trouble because its products appeal only to the upper crust.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 25, 2017New home-lending activity turned solidly higher this past week, and it was government mortgage programs that saw the biggest week-over-week gain.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 28, 2017Taxpayer funds that were intended to support distressed borrowers in areas that suffered the most from the housing crisis have, in some cases, been used for frivolous purposes by state housing agencies.

Pueblo Chieftain (Colo.), Aug. 25, 2017--Andrew KhouriDavid Stevens, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association, called recent loan changes a positive development, but said caution is needed."We need to be careful not to be on a slippery slope where we go too far," he said. "As long as it's done responsibly it's a good thing."

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 28, 2017--Christopher Whittal, Mike Bird (subscription)A decade ago, investors' bad bets on collateralized debt obligations helped fuel the crisis. Billed as safe, they turned out to be anything but. Now, more investors are returning to CDOs-and so are concerns that excess is seeping into the aging bull market.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo, THE ONE, takes place Oct. 22-25 in Denver; save $200 with early registration.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's annual Summit on Diversity & Inclusion takes place Dec. 4-5 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo, THE ONE, takes place Oct. 22-25 in Denver; save $200 with early registration.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo, THE ONE, takes place Oct. 22-25 in Denver; save $200 with early registration.