The Lede

American Banker, July 3, 2018--Paul Davis (subscription)The $6.9 billion-asset company said in a press release Tuesday it will sell the rights to service about $5 billion in unpaid balances for single-family mortgages. It did not identify the buyer or disclose the price of the deal.

Washington Post, July 3, 2018--Michele LernerAn analysis of presidential elections between 1996 and 2012 found that the availability of mortgage credit is a critical indicator in presidential races and has five times as much impact on voter behavior as rising unemployment.

Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2018--Craig Karmin, Keiko Morris (subscription)Katara Hospitality, which buys and manages hotels around the world for the Qatar government, has acquired full ownership of the 1907 property for $600 million.

National Mortgage News, July 3, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac enjoy considerable market advantages because of their lower cost of capital and significant government subsidies. But with some conforming loans, the private market is finding a way to compete with the government-sponsored enterprises.

HousingWire, July 3, 2018--Kevin GillenAn intellectual property court case that was decided this spring has elevated the topic of Automated Valuation Models, or AVMs, into the public discourse. While normally confined to real estate industry circles, the subject has received increased discussion as media outlets report on the case that led to a $706 million jury verdict.

Bloomberg, July 3, 2018--Hannah Levitt (subscription)Personal loans surged to a record this year and are the fastest-growing U.S. consumer-lending category, according to data from credit bureau TransUnion.

Mortgage Daily, July 3, 2018A new call center in South Carolina launched by Princeton Mortgage Corp. will be the home for in excess of a hundred new employees.

HousingWire, July 3, 2018--Ben LaneShellpoint is the parent company of several subsidiaries, including mortgage lender New Penn Financial, Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, title and settlement services provider Avenue 365, and eStreet, an appraisal management company.

CNBC, July 4, 2018--Diana OlickTotal mortgage application volume decreased 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage Daily, July 3, 2018--Sam GarciaAmong mortgage industry events planned for this month are a loan officer expo, a consumer bankruptcy forum and an annual meeting hosted by a mortgage technology provider.