The Lede

National Mortgage News, Feb. 21, 2017--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Commercial mortgage loan originations in 2017 are expected to increase 3% over last year to a record high, as market fundamentals and property prices remain strong, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 21, 2017--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)"In the grand scheme of things, it looks like a little blip," but it is too early to see if that could be the start of a larger trend, said Marina Walsh, MBA vice president of industry analysis.

CNBC, Feb. 21, 2017--Diana OlickPaul Miller, a banking analyst at FBR Capital Markets, said he believes big banks will return to the market, "but they will need solid protections on reps and warrants" - the financial due diligence that's done on both sides of the transaction before a deal can close.

Ourbroker.com, Feb. 21, 2017--Peter G. MillerA new report shows that the Dodd-Frank Act, a piece of 2010 legislation which the President and much of the Congress have vowed to emasculate if not completely overturn, actually works.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 21, 2017--Sarah Nassauer; Anne Steele (subscription)Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Home Depot Inc. on Tuesday showed they can still find ways to entice shoppers to their physical stores, despite a continuing consumer shift toward online buying.

HousingWire, Feb. 21, 2017--Ben LaneWells Fargo announced Tuesday that it fired four senior managers as the fallout continues from the fake account scandal that led to a $185 million fine from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the city and county of Los Angeles.

HousingWire, Feb. 21, 2017--Brena SwansonBattling alongside PHH is State National Bank of Big Spring, Texas. And while it's a lesser-known case, it harbors a similar grudge against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with a lot of its fate resting in the outcome of the PHH case.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 21, 2017Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. experienced a year-over-year expansion in its home-lending volume, servicing portfolio and employee count.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 21, 2017Fannie Mae said expected volume of lending to finance home purchases next year has been lowered, as was the estimate for last year's production.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 21, 2017PNC Real Estate/Midland Loan Services serviced 32,559 CRE loans with an aggregate principal balance of $517.522 billion as of Dec. 31, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 21, 2017--Aaron Back (subscription)Investors suing the government over its management of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac suffered a stinging defeat on Tuesday. The court ruling largely settles one significant question about the companies' future, but their ultimate fate remains unclear.

The Mortgage Bankers Association recognizes its Premier Members.

MBA Education presents its School of Loan Origination Course II instructor-guided online course on Tuesdays from Feb. 28-Mar. 16.