The Lede

Top National News

Could Falling Interest Rates Mean a Pick-Up in Hiring by Mortgage Lenders?
Marketplace, Apr. 3, 2019--Meghan McCarty CarinoMBA Economist Joel Kan discusses how refinancing is making a comeback in the housing market, with dropping interest rates resulting in a spike in applications to refinance mortgage loans.
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Podcast–How Lenders View The Current Market With Jamie Woodwell
Real Crowd, Apr. 4, 2019--Tyler StewartJamie Woodwell, Vice President of Research and Economics with the Mortgage Bankers Association, discuss recent research on how lenders view the current market.
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Fixed Mortgage Rates Flat Ahead of Jobs Report
Washington Post, Apr. 4, 2019--Kathy OrtonFollowing the biggest one-week drop in a decade, fixed mortgage rates paused to catch their breath and were essentially flat this week. (MBA mention)
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Recent Decline in Mortgage Rates Leads to a Leap in Jumbo Refinances
HousingWire, Apr. 4, 2019--Jacob GaffneyThe Mortgage Bankers Association is noting two distinctive trends in mortgage lending in it latest credit availability report. The first is the recent declines in mortgage rates, which only just showed signs of leveling out, led to a leap in refinances for jumbo mortgages.
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AI Is Coming To Take Your Mortgage Woes Away
Forbes, Apr 4, 2019--Douglas MerrillThe survey found that over the next two years, the use of these technologies in the mortgage industry is going to boom. And that will be a good thing for borrowers and the market.
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Trump Picks Herman Cain for Fed as New Powell Counterweight, Sources Say
Bloomberg, Apr. 4, 2019--Jennifer JacobsPresident Donald Trump intends to nominate Herman Cain, the former pizza company executive who ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board.
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JPMorgan’s Dimon Urges Infrastructure, Mortgage Reform to Spur U.S. Growth
Reuters, Apr. 4, 2019--Elizabeth DiltsJPMorgan Chase & Co chief executive Jamie Dimon on Thursday called for reforms to U.S. public policy on education, infrastructure and mortgages to repair what he called the "fraying" American dream.
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Senate Confirms Mark Calabria as Head of Fannine, Freddie Regulator
MarketWatch, Apr. 4, 2019--Andrea RiquierCalabria, who most recently served as chief economist to Vice President Mike Pence and, before that, at the libertarian think tank the Cato Institute, was confirmed by a 52-44 vote. (MBA mention)
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Downsizing Fannie, Freddie Could Help Banks, Hurt Nonbanks
National Mortgage News, Apr. 4, 2019--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)If housing finance reform reduces the government-sponsored enterprises' involvement in the mortgage market, banks could gain a funding advantage over nonbanks, according to a Moody's Investors Service report.
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Ditech Shuttering Minnesota Office, Laying Off More than 200 Employees
HousingWire, Apr. 4, 2019--Ben LaneDitech Holding Corp., which is currently going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in just over a year, is closing its St. Paul, Minn., office and laying off more than 200 employees.
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Fannie’s Decision to Use Real Estate Agents as Appraisers is Risky
Orange County Register, Apr. 4, 2019--Jeff LazersonFannie Mae is now relying on real estate agents (not licensed appraisers) to measure and take photographs to determine property values for some mortgage refinances. The ramifications are ominous.
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MBA Education UMBS and Your Business: Best Practices for Readiness Webinar Apr. 10
MBA Education presents a webinar, UMBS and Your Business: Best Practices for Readiness Webinar, on Wednesday, Apr. 10 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET.
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