The Lede
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CFPB Investigations Lack Fairness, Trade Group Says
Scotsman Guide, May 1, 2018--Victor WhitmanThe Mortgage Bankers Association said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should set down a clear process for initiating an investigation under its Civil Investigative Demand (CID) process. Among the changes, CFPB investigators should be required to limit the scope to specific allegations of wrongdoing, and establish a fairer process and a reasonable timeframe for companies to respond.
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30% of Homeowners are Making a Mistake that Could Cost Them Thousands
CNBC, May 1, 2018--Emmie MartinNearly a third of American homeowners may have no idea what their mortgage rate is. That's according to new data from Bankrate, which surveyed 2,194 adults, including 1,330 homeowners. When asked, 29 percent of respondents with a mortgage either didn't know their rate or wouldn't say.
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Residential Construction Spending Slips in March
National Mortgage News, May 1, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)March residential construction spending declined by 3.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis from February, but was virtually flat for new single-family properties, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Freddie Mac Q1 Earnings Increase Driven by Tax Reform
HousingWire, May 1, 2018--Kelsey RamirezThe company announced a comprehensive income of $2.2 billion for the first quarter of 2018. This was up from a loss of $3.3 billion from the fourth quarter.
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The Cost of Buying a Home Near the Train Is Shrinking
Bloomberg, May 1, 2018--Katherine ChiglinskyRide-sharing services such as Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc., and the advent of electric vehicles and driverless cars, are poised to chip away at the higher prices that real estate around subways and bus stops has earned, according to a report from MetLife Inc.'s asset-management business released Tuesday.
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Freddie Mac’s Risk-Sharing Success May Help Lower G-Fees
National Mortgage News, May 1, 2018--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)If Freddie Mac's credit-risk transfer activities continue to grow, mortgage lenders could eventually see a reduction in the guarantee fees they pay to the government-sponsored enterprise, according to CEO Donald Layton.
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Will AI Take the Jobs of Loan Officers?
HousingWire, May 1, 2018--Dave Savage, Kristin MesserliLoan officers may not be disappearing from the model, but their role has certainly shifted. By consumer demand and the help of technology and AI, they have gone from originator to advisor.
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