The Lede

Washington Post, Mar. 16, 2017--Kathy OrtonMortgage rates, which had begun to move higher ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision to increase its benchmark rate, rose again this week.

HousingWire, Mar. 16, 2017--Ben LaneAccording to Wells Fargo's annual report, released Thursday, Wells Fargo's total mortgage origination volume rose to $249 billion in 2016 from $213 billion in 2015 and $175 billion in 2014.

Builder Magazine, Mar. 16, 2017Millennials in Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Des Moines, are pursuing home ownership more than their counterparts in any of the nation's 100 largest cities, according to a new study by LendingTree.

National Mortgage News, Mar. 16, 2017--Brian Collins (subscription)President Trump's budget released Thursday calls for slashing HUD funding by 13%, or $6.2 billion, compared with 2016 levels, a blow to many bankers who say affordable housing programs and other HUD initiatives are vital to their work.

HousingWire, Mar. 16, 2017--Brena SwansonThe Golden State recorded an increase in home sales between December and January this year, which is a major feat given that this hasn't happened since 2012.

Bloomberg, Mar. 16, 2017--Polly MosendzAfter languishing on the real estate market for months, a multimillion-dollar, seven-story, basket-shaped building will soon be the property of Licking County, Ohio. A foreclosure is imminent, according to local officials.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 16, 2017The Mortgage Bankers Association said the country's mortgage bankers have grown more optimistic about the level of residential loan originations during the first half of this year.

National Real Estate Investor, Mar. 16, 2017--Diana BellIndustry professionals do not expect the Federal Reserve's gradual increases to be too disruptive to commercial real estate capital markets.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 16, 2017Changes to Radian Guaranty Inc.'s guidelines include insuring a non-agency jumbo product offered by a unit of United Guaranty Corp.'s former parent.

Buffalo News, Mar. 16, 2017--Matt GlynnSen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is pushing back against what he sees as threats to deductions for mortgage interest and local and state property taxes.

Reuters, Mar. 16, 2017--Lucia MutikaniU.S. homebuilding jumped in February as unseasonably warm weather boosted the construction of single-family houses to near a 9-1/2-year high, suggesting the economy remained on solid ground despite an apparent slowdown in the first quarter.

HousingWire, Mar. 16, 2017--Kelsey RamirezWithin the housing market, one of the independent agencies that will be completely defunded is Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., also known as NeighborWorks America.