The Lede

Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2018--Laura Kusisto (subscription)The construction business is having trouble attracting young job seekers. The share of workers in the sector who are 24 years old or younger has declined in 48 states since the last housing boom in 2005. Disinterest in construction work is contributing to a labor shortage that has meant fewer homes built and rising prices--possibly for years to come.

National Mortgage News, July 31 2018--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)Loan defect risk rose in only three states and a handful of metropolitan regions in June thanks to the continuing spread of digital mortgage initiatives that improve data quality.

HousingWire, July 31, 2018--Kelsey RammirezThis income is up slightly from the first quarter this year, when the company reported comprehensive income of $2.2 billion, and up even more from the second quarter of 2017, when it saw a comprehensive income of $2 billion.

American Banker, July 31, 2018--Rachel Witkowski (subscription)The Treasury Department released an extensive report Tuesday detailing how nonbanks, including fintech firms and data aggregators, should be regulated.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 1, 2018Quarterly business increased at Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corp., as did earnings. In addition, the book of business expanded, and delinquency was sharply lower.

Mortgage Daily, July 31, 2018"This will protect residential and commercial real estate markets from potential harm, and provide stability for those that sell and administer the policies to millions of Americans," said Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO David Stevens.

National Mortgage News, July 31, 2018--Kate Berry (subscription)The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on the nomination of Kathy Kraninger to become director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau among a slate of six nominees considered by the panel.

HousingWire, Aug. 1, 2018Meghan Sullivan, associate vice president of legislative and political affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association, has been running tirelessly, expertly managing the busiest year on Capitol Hill for the industry since the Dodd-Frank Act passed.

Urban Institute, July 31, 2018--Laurie Goodman, Bing BaiThe authors said it's not clear why denial rates are higher for small-dollar mortgages. Applicants for these smaller mortgages might have weaker credit profiles than applicants for larger mortgages. But if denial rates for smaller loans are higher simply because applicants for smaller loans have weaker credit profiles, the loan size is not to blame.

Bloomberg, Aug. 1, 2018After a years-long surge in global capitals, property prices are starting to head lower.