The Lede

CNBC, Mar. 3, 2017--Diana Olick Homeowners are opening their favorite piggy bank again--their homes.

Wall Street Journal, Mar. 3, 2017--Harriet Torry (subscription)Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen signaled the central bank is on course to pick up the pace of interest-rate increases, with the next rise coming as soon as March and more to come later this year.

HousingWire, Mar. 3, 2017--Kelsey RamirezRetail bank, mortgage and financial services firms saw a five-year trend of consistently improving customer satisfaction, however perception of excessive sales pressure now threatens that trust, according to the J.D. Power report.

Bloomberg, Mar. 3, 2017--Patricia LayaAmerican service companies expanded in February at the fastest rate since October 2015 amid stronger orders, signaling momentum in the economy's biggest sector.

UExpress.com, Mar. 3, 2017--Lew SichelmanNegotiating when the keys change hands can sometimes be a sticking point--more challenging than haggling over any other item in the contract. And with good reason.

Dallas Morning News, Mar. 5, 2017--Steve BrownHigher home financing costs won't derail the housing market this year, said Lynn Fisher, vice president of research and economics with the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Arizona Daily Star, Mar. 4, 2017--Gabriela RicoA proposal coming out of the White House to raise the standard tax deduction would be welcome news for most taxpayers, but some in the housing industry fear it could discourage new homeowners.

Wall Street Journal, Mar. 4, 2017--Keiko Morris (subscription)A sprawling 110-acre, research-and-development complex in Bridgewater, N.J., seemed poised a few years ago to join the growing ranks of suburban New Jersey office campuses left for dead as companies consolidated and moved to big cities. But a joint venture of investors is breathing life into the property.

National Mortgage News, Mar. 3, 2017--Kate Berry; Ian McKendry (subscription)Republicans have opened multiple fronts against the agency, undertaking separate efforts through obscure legislative processes to cut its funding and roll back past and future rules, while also considering a larger bill that would effectively gut the agency entirely.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 6, 2017Last year's first-lien residential loan production ascended to the highest level in nine years, with purchase-money activity reaching a decade high.