The Lede

Washington Post, Feb. 1, 2018--Kathy OrtonAccording to the latest data released Thursday by Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate average climbed to its highest level since last March, rising to 4.22 percent with an average 0.5 point.

Bankrate.com, Feb. 1, 2018--Robin Saks FrankelMortgage Bankers Association Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni said recently at a conference that he predicts mortgage rates will rise to close to 5 percent in 2018 and will likely exceed that number in 2019 and beyond.

The Mortgage Reports, Feb. 1, 2018--Aly J. YaleDespite rising home prices, American housing is actually quite affordable. According to the latest Real House Price Index from First American, today's home buyers have "historically high levels of house-purchasing power."

National Mortgage News, Feb. 1, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)The changes to the tax code reduced Radian Group's fourth-quarter net income as the company took an incremental provision of $102.6 million.

HousingWire, Feb. 1, 2018--Kelsey RamirezFirst American first announced the deal back in December, saying the transaction would be completed during the first quarter of this year. The deal makes Bank of America's lien release business and its employees part of First American's mortgage solutions division.

Bloomberg, Feb. 1, 2018--David M LevittThe owners of the Empire State Building are relying on its standing as a New York icon to find tenants for about 50,000 square feet (4,600 square meters) at a time when Manhattan is swamped with empty stores.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 1, 2018Issuance of fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities on behalf of Fannie, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae came to $100.114 billion during the first month of this year. Volume declined from December.

Dayton Daily News (Ohio), Feb. 1, 2018--Thomas GnauThe National Fair Housing Alliance, with 19 fair housing organizations, iled a lawsuit Thursday in federal court against Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bank National Trust, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Ocwen Financial Corp. and Altisource Portfolio Solutions Inc., for allegedly neglecting foreclosed and bank-owned homes in minority neighborhoods.

Crain's Detroit Business, Feb. 1, 2018--Chad LivengoodQuicken Loans reported Thursday that it originated $25 billion in home loans in the last three months of 2017, while Wells Fargo reported $23 billion in residential mortgages for the quarter. Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. trailed behind at $13 billion and $11 billion, respectively.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 1, 2018--Ryan Tracy (subscription)The Federal Reserve said Thursday that its stress tests for big banks will imagine a more severe economic downturn in 2018 than in last year's version, as it announced the details of the hypothetical scenario banks must survive to pass the exams.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 1, 2018--Kate Berry (subscription)Acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney has stripped the agency's fair lending office of enforcement powers in a sign that many consumer advocates see as trying to reduce oversight and penalties for firms that discriminate against borrowers.

City Lab, Feb. 1 ,2018--Richard FloridaA new study says the continuing low density of inner suburbs is a major cause of the housing crisis--and a potential solution.

MBA Education presents a webinar, Ten(ish) Performance Ratios Every Mortgage Banker Must Know, on Tuesday, Feb. 27 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.