The Lede

National Mortgage Professional, Aug. 21, 2018--Phil Hall Commercial and multifamily mortgage originations during the second quarter were up by 4 percent higher from a year ago and were up 32 percent from the first quarter, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

MReport, Aug. 21, 2018According to an analysis by CoreLogic, the needs of homeowners who refinance in a rising rate environment is different from the rate-and-term borrowers that dominated the market during the refinance boom.

HousingWire, Aug. 21, 2018--Ben LaneAccording to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the GSEs' expansion into single-family rentals was conducted on a "test and learn" basis, designed to determine if the GSEs were needed to support the growing single-family rental market. But FHFA said that it has since learned that the market can function without the GSEs.

Bloomberg, Aug. 21, 2018--Noah SmithUnlike in the early 2000s, when housing became a vehicle for broad-based middle-class wealth, today's bull market is shutting out many lower-earning and younger Americans. This is partly because of policy choices. But it also illustrates some of the pitfalls of relying on housing as the pillar supporting a country's middle class.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 21, 2018Serious delinquency on first mortgages was little changed last month, as has been the case for a half-decade, said S&P and Experian. In Miami, serious consumer delinquency plunged more than 60 basis points.

Mortgage Daily, Aug. 22, 2018--Sam GarciaMortgage market participants interested in servicing rights, mortgage brokers or regulatory compliance have multiple events they can attend over the next several months.

Financial Regulation News, Aug. 21, 2018--Dave KovaleskiMISMO, the mortgage industry's standards organization, is looking for industry professionals to serve on a task force on emerging technologies.

HousingWire, Aug. 21, 2018--Jacob Gaffney[Yesterday's] announcement that ProTeck is buying Direct Valuation is no surprise; the appraisal shopping spree is a few years in the making.

National Mortgage News, Aug. 21, 2018--Hannah Long (subscription)Scrutiny of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt continues to mount as he faces an equal-pay lawsuit from the employee who alleged he sexually harassed her and mainstream news outlets report more details about the growing scandal.

HousingWire, Aug. 22, 2018--Ben LaneThe Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight announced early Wednesday morning that all of the servicers under its oversight have completed their servicing obligations and the monitor's work is now complete.

American Banker, Aug. 21, 2018--John Reosti (subscription)Last week, Flagstar announced the termination of a long-running supervisory agreement with the Federal Reserve. The termination means Flagstar is operating unfettered by regulatory orders for the first time since January 2010.