The Lede

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Feb. 16, 2018--Michael E. KanellIt's not a unique idea: leasing a home as a stepping stone to buying it. Still, for some people--who don't have a lot of savings yet--the idea might make sense, said economist Lynn Fisher of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 16, 2018--Elina Tarkazikis (subscription)Servicers continue to face data management challenges, particularly during loan onboarding and transfers. Blockchain technology may hold the key to resolving those issues, said panelists at the recent Mortgage Bankers Association's National Mortgage Servicing Conference.

HousingWire, Feb. 16, 2018--Ben LaneAccording to data provided by the company, Better Mortgage claims it was the third fastest online lender to reach $1 billion in originations, trailing only Goldman Sachs' Marcus and SoFi.

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 16, 2018--Josh Mitchell (subscription)During the housing boom of the 2000s, jumbo mortgages with very large balances became a flashpoint for a brewing crisis. Now, researchers are zeroing in on a related crack but in the student debt market: very large student loans with balances exceeding $50,000.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 16, 2018--Brian Collins (subscription)Housing industry advocates are hopeful HUD's review of its manufactured housing regulations will bring rules more in line with current building trends.

Washington Post, Feb. 19, 2018--Jill Chodorov KaminskyThe number of zero-down loans issued today are significantly lower than we experienced in the market boom, but lenders still see them as a way to entice people to stay in the market.

Reuters, Feb. 16, 2018--Lucia MutikaniU.S. homebuilding rose to more than a one-year high in January, boosted by strong increases in the construction of both single- and multi-family housing units, and further gains are likely with building permits surging to their highest level since 2007.

Mortgage Daily (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Feb. 19, 2018USA Mortgage's sole owner, president and chief executive officer, Douglas Schukar, transferred ownership of the company to employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

CNBC, Feb. 16, 2016On Worldwide Exchange, MBA Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni explains how low housing inventories are impacting the market.

Mortgage Daily, Feb. 16, 2018Fannie Mae cut its expected volume for residential loan originations by $56 million for 2018, noting a slight boost in refinances.

Multi-Housing News, Feb. 19, 2018--Sanyu KyeyuneAt $549 billion, the Mortgage Bankers Association's projection of 2018 loan origination volume represents a 3 percent decline from 2017. Still, industry experts expressed their optimism toward the market at the organization's CREF/Multifamily Housing Convention & Expo in San Diego last week.

HousingWire, Feb. 19, 2018--Ben LaneSharon Walker joined the MBA in late January as the associate vice president of multifamily. Also joining the MBA is Andrew Foster, who will serve as director, commercial/multifamily.

HousingWire, Feb. 20, 2018--Kelsey RamirezThe serious mortgage delinquency rate decreased in the final quarter of 2017 to the lowest point since the great recession, according to TransUnion's Q4 2017 Industry Insights Report.

UExpress, Feb. 16, 2018--Lew SichelmanAccording to the Census Bureau, immigrants now account for almost 1 in 4 workers in the construction field. That's the highest share ever recorded by the Bureau's American Community Survey.

Back by popular demand, the Mortgage Bankers Association's Condominium Lending Workshop takes place Apr. 10-11 in Denver.