The Lede

National Real Estate Investor, Oct. 13, 2017--Donna Mitchell The two schools of thought on retail store closures seem very far apart.

Wall Street Journal, Oct. 16, 2017--Laura Kusisto (subscription)The tax-overhaul plan being negotiated in Washington has the potential to virtually eliminate a break lawmakers once considered untouchable: the mortgage interest deduction.

Wall Street Journal, Oct. 16, 2017--Laura Kusisto (subscription)The debate over diminishing the tax incentive for homeownership has created a rift between two powerful trade groups representing real-estate brokers and home builders.

Mortgage Daily, Oct. 13, 2017--Sam GarciaAmong three third-party mortgage originators that are closing is an Ocwen Financial Corp. unit. Multiple credit unions failed over this past summer.

Mortgage Daily, Oct. 13, 2017Changes being made by Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. will result in improved prices on mortgage insurance premiums for some borrowers.

UExpress, Oct. 13, 2017--Lew SichelmanFederal mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have long been tasked by Congress with serving areas that don't get much attention from the private sector. And that could help you get a home loan.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 13, 2017--Bonnie Sinnock, Austin Kilgore (subscription)Recently exposed security vulnerabilities in an Equifax tool used extensively in the mortgage industry are raising new questions about the reliability and veracity of the beleaguered credit bureau's employment verification service.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 13, 2017--Kate Berry (subscription)The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Friday that its enforcement chief, Anthony Alexis, plans to leave the agency after more than five and a half years.

New York Times, Oct. 13, 2017--Gretchen MorgensonLike it or not, when you apply for a home mortgage or to refinance an existing loan, Equifax will be a part of the process.

Politico, Oct. 13, 2017--Lorraine WoellertThe Mortgage Bankers Association said it is open to a rewrite of homeowner tax breaks as part of a broader reform package, adding to the political momentum in support of a mortgage tax credit.

HousingWire, Oct. 13, 2017--Ben LaneEarlier this week, the attorneys general for 38 states sent letters to Experian and TransUnion, calling on the credit reporting agencies to stop charging consumers to freeze their credit. Each state has different rules around credit freezes, but in some states, it costs $10 to place a credit freeze on their account and another $10 if they want to lift the freeze.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 13, 2017 (subscription)Bank of America set aside $100 million in its reserves for representation and warranty claims ahead of a pending settlement to resolve legacy mortgage issues.

National Mortgage Professional, Oct. 13, 2017--Phil HallThe nation's political environment seems to be impacting its housing markets, according to a new data analysis from Redfin.

Mortgage News Daily, Oct. 13, 2017--Jann SwansonSignificant space remains to safely expand the credit box. If the current default risk was doubled across all channels, risk would still be within the pre-crisis (2001-03) standard of 12.5 percent for the whole mortgage market.

Reuters, Oct. 13, 2017--Dan Freed, Sweta SinghWells Fargo & Co management signaled on Friday that the bank may struggle to hit expense targets through next year, raising questions about how much a sales scandal is weighing on the bottom line.

Washington Examiner, Oct. 13, 2017--Joseph LawlerThe Mortgage Bankers Association have given a thumbs-up to the Republican tax reform framework, another indication that the GOP tax push so far is avoiding outright opposition from the important housing sector.

National Mortgage Professional, Oct. 13, 2017--Phil HallMBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, said many mortgage professionals were concerned over the potential limiting or eliminating of tax code provisions including the continued deductibility of business interest and the preservation of Section 1031 like-kind exchanges for investment real estate.

MBA Education presents the first of its popular two-part webinar series, De-Mystifying Secondary Marketing Part I on Monday, Nov. 13 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.

The Mortgage Bankers Association presents its annual Whole Loan Trading Workshop, taking place Thursday, Nov. 9 in Chicago.

The Mortgage Bankers Association released a new MBANow video featuring MBA Regulatory Assistant with Public Policy Jordan Bucher, who discusses mPact events at the upcoming MBA Annual Convention & Expo.

The Mortgage Bankers Association released a new MBANow video featuring MBA Regulatory Assistant with Public Policy Jordan Bucher, who discusses mPact events at the upcoming MBA Annual Convention & Expo.

The Mortgage Bankers Association released a new MBANow video featuring MBA Regulatory Assistant with Public Policy Jordan Bucher, who discusses mPact events at the upcoming MBA Annual Convention & Expo.