The Lede

National Real Estate Investor, Feb. 6, 2017--Elaine MisonzhnikAll types of capital providers-banks, insurance companies, conduit lenders and private equity funds-are actively looking for deals, and loan terms continue to be attractive, even if loan-to-value ratios have not moved much above 65 percent.

National Mortgage Professional, Feb. 6, 2017--Phil HallNearly 6.5 percent of home build before 2000 and 10.3 percent of homes built in the 1990s were transitioned from owner-occupied into rental properties, according to a new study from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Research Institute for Housing America.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 6, 2017--Brian CollinsYear-end adjustments to mortgage industry employment statistics revealed a larger-than-expected increase in hiring by nondepository lenders and brokers during 2016.

HousingWire, Feb. 6, 2017--Kelsey RamirezDBRS said the persistently low interest rate environment rendered securitization uneconomical for many issuers. However, as interest rates begin to rise, the RMBS market is beginning to change.

HousingWire, Feb. 6, 2017--Ben LaneThe Securities and Exchange Commission is giving up in its case against two former executives Thornburg Mortgage who stood accused of hiding the financial condition of Thornburg as the once-dominant mortgage lender stumbled towards collapse during the financial crisis.

Cato Institute, Feb. 6, 2017--Mark A. CalabriaAuthor says Treasury Secretary designate Steven Mnuchin should strongly consider reviving a plan developed by his predecessor, John Snow. That plan would take advantage of the Treasury's authority to place limits on Fannie and Freddie's debt issuance to reduce those agencies' indebtedness. The reduction can and should be done in a controlled manner that could be easily reversed if necessary.

Crain's Chicago Business, Feb. 6, 2017Almost a decade after it all began, the Federal Reserve is finally talking about unwinding its grand experiment in monetary policy. And when it happens, the knock-on effects in the bond market could pose a threat to the U.S. housing recovery.

The Hill, Feb. 6, 2017--Diane Yentel; Mark CalabriaYentel, with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and Calabria, with the Cato Institute, call the mortgage interest deduction "a wasteful use of federal resources that encourages households to take on higher levels of debt, disrupts the housing market by increasing costs for everyone, and mostly benefits those who do not need federal assistance to live in a stable home."

Reuters, Feb. 6, 2017--Howard SchneiderLoan officers at U.S. banks reported largely unchanged lending standards and slightly looser terms for business loans in the last three months of 2016, the Federal Reserve reported Monday in a quarterly survey.

Black Enterprise, Feb. 6, 2017--Selena HillAIA Group Chairman Shawn Baldwin discussed how and why African Americans should purchase property while Trump is in office as a means to generate wealth.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 6, 2017More recently, mortgage staffing has climbed to an estimated 697,700 as of Dec. 31.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 6, 2017--Sam GarciaRecent mortgage-related mergers & acquisitions.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 6, 2017Despite slowing loan production at Guild Mortgage Co., the company experienced growth in its servicing portfolio and its staffing.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 6, 2017--Paul DavisThe deal includes about 250 correspondent relationships accounting for more than $7 billion of annual agency and governmental residential mortgage loan production.

MBA Education presents a webinar, Interest Rate Risk & The Effects on Mortgage Fee Income, today, Feb. 7 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.