The Lede

The Hill, Jan. 9, 2017--Needham, Vicki HUD Secretary Julián Castro said the FHA will reduce the premiums for most borrowers by a quarter of a percent, dropping them to 0.60 from 0.85 for most new mortgages with a closing date on or after Jan. 27. MBA President and CEO David Stevens said the reduction is a good move but more work needs to be done to improve the FHA program.

World Property Journal, Jan. 9, 2017--Gerrity, Michael According to a new Mortgage Bankers Association survey of the top commercial and multifamily mortgage origination firms, U.S. commercial and multifamily mortgage lending is expected to increase in 2017, as lenders' appetites to place new loans and borrowers' appetites to borrow both remain strong.

HousingWire, Jan. 9, 2017--Swanson, Brena The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency terminated its mortgage servicing-related order against HSBC Bank USA, lifting restrictions placed on the bank over its failure to comply with requirements of the Independent Foreclosure Review.

Mortgage Professional America, Jan. 9, 2017--Smith, Ryan Powerful tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning - once the stuff of science fiction - are becoming reality. And that's one area where the mortgage industry needs to be at the cutting edge.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 9, 2017--Sinnock, Bonnie Some single-family lenders are ideally trying to move purchase loans from application to funding within 21 days at a time when average timeline is twice as long. Here's why.

HousingWire, Jan. 9, 2017--Swanson, Brena The House Financial Services Committee welcomed its new leadership team last Friday, announcing the committee's leadership team for the 115th Congress.

OurBroker.com, Jan. 9, 2017--Miller, Peter G. Mortgage rates are down. That's not a fantasy. They're certainly not as low as last summer nor as far down as 2012 when we saw the lowest rates in 65 years, but they've dropped from recent highs and they may go lower.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 9, 2017 Private mortgage insurance companies are annoyed at the Federal Housing Administration's decision to lower mortgage insurance premiums.

Commercial Real Estate Direct, Jan 9, 2017--Fink, Tom The commercial mortgage-backed securities market appeared to recover in 2015 and 2016, but new-issue bond spreads, which determine prices, continued to fluctuate.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 9, 2017 Government funds used to pay for the Home Affordable Modification Program have reached nearly $23 billion as the program neared its sunset.

HousingWire, Jan. 9, 2017--Lane, Ben In addition to unveiling new legislation that would grant the New York Department of Financial Services the authority to ban individuals from working in the financial services industry, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced on Monday a series of new laws that would add financial protections for the state's senior citizens.

Bloomberg, Jan. 9, 2017--Surane, Jenny Quicken Loans Inc. founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert, whose Detroit-based company has refused to settle a lawsuit with the Department of Justice, said he's looking forward to new leadership under President-elect Donald Trump.

HousingWire, Jan. 9, 2017--Swanson, Brena The controversial position Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray sits in is only intensifying as government officials push to have him fired and policy groups urge consumers to defend him.

The Mortgage Bankers Association and MBA Insights are accepting nominations for the MBA Insights 2017 Tech All-Star Awards. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, Jan. 27.

The Mortgage Bankers Association presents a webinar, Tax Reform Proposal and Potential Impact on CRE, on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET.