The Lede

GoRion, May 17, 2017--Sam BourgiFannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be privately owned utilities with returns to shareholders stipulated by regulators, according to proposals put forward by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage Professional America, May 17, 2017--Steve RandallThe rate of mortgage delinquencies slipped in the first three months of 2017 according to new data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

CNBC, May 17, 2017--Diana OlickTotal application volume fell 4.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous week. The Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly tally was nearly 16 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

Wall Street Journal, May 17, 2017--Ben Leubsdorf (subscription)Total debt held by American households reached a record high in early 2017, exceeding its 2008 peak after years of retrenchment in the face of financial crisis, recession and modest economic growth.

National Mortgage News, May 17, 2017--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Reverse mortgage lender Financial Freedom has agreed to pay $89 million to settle False Claims Act allegations involving unearned interest payments it received from the Federal Housing Administration.

HousingWire, May 17, 2017--Kelsey RamirezMedian single-family square floor area decreased to 2,389 square feet, according to first-quarter data from the Census Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and the National Association of Home Builders.

Bloomberg, May 17, 2017--Jonathan BernsteinFinancial regulation legislation, R.I.P.--probably, after Mitch McConnell basically surrendered Tuesday on a bill that would overhaul the Dodd-Frank Act.

Reuters, May 17, 2017--Jonathan StempelA federal judge signaled that he may reject parts of Wells Fargo & Co's proposed $142 million settlement with customers for whom it opened millions of unauthorized accounts.

Mortgage Daily, May 17, 2017While the average age of people in the home valuation field is north of 50, there are some features to the appraiser profession that might be well-suited for Millennials.

Mortgage Daily, May 17, 2017A large non-bank originator is looking to sell 13 mortgages that have an aggregate unpaid principal balance of $3.1 million.

Mortgage Daily, May 17, 2017Freddie Mac expanded the pool of loans that are eligible for its collateral representation and warranty relief.

Austin Business Journal, May 17, 2017--Kimberly ReevesThe dispute pits the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association against the Texas Property Tax Lending Association, which claims its an attempt to abolish the property tax lending industry.

National Mortgage News, May 17, 2017--Kate Berry (subscription)State regulators felt they were strung along by the mortgage servicing giant Ocwen Financial after years of promises that were never fulfilled, resulting in successive enforcement actions against the company, according to interviews with nearly a dozen officials.

HousingWire, May 17, 2017--Kelsey RamirezMany Americans facing a financial crisis have a decision to make - which debts they will pay, and which they will skip. When faced with that decision, consumers tend to prioritize unsecured personal loans ahead of other debts such as credit cards, auto loans and even mortgages, according to a new study conducted by TransUnion.

New in today's issue of MBA Insights:  Tom Lamalfa of TSL Consulting presents results of his bi-annual survey of MBA members on key industry issues, including GSE reform, mortgage originations and even President Donald Trump's performance thus far.