The Lede

CNBC, Apr. 24, 2019--Diana OlickOverall mortgage application volume fell 7.3% last week from the previous week but was 6.6% higher than a year ago, thanks to stronger refinance volume, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

HousingWire, Apr. 24, 2019--Jessica GuerinThe new rules are intended to make it easier for developers looking to take advantage of the tax breaks promised by investing in Opportunity Zones, and clear up some of the confusion that was holding investors back.

Betakit (Canada), Apr. 24, 2019--Isabelle KirkwoodVancouver-based FinTech announced Rock Holdings, the parent company of U.S.-based Quicken Loans, has acquired a majority stake in the company. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Sacramento Bee, Apr. 24, 2019--Hannah DardenThe defendants worked for the now-defunct Delta Homes and Lending, a Sacramento-based real estate and mortgage lending company. Delta falsified applications for home loans to obtain mortgages for buyers, many of whom did not and could not qualify for loans without the falsified information on their applications.

HousingWire, Apr. 24, 2019--Ben LaneCourt documents show that starting in 2011, Robert Pena began diverting money borrowers sent to MSI into private bank accounts, which he then used to pay for personal and business expenses.

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 24, 2019--Paul Kiernan (subscription)Stephen Moore said he was hopeful about his chances of being nominated and confirmed to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors but would bow out of the process if he became a political liability for the Trump administration or Senate Republicans.

American Banker, Apr. 24, 2019--Kevin Wack (subscription)Last year, the former top regulatory official overseeing Wells Fargo stood accused of improperly disclosing sensitive information about a government investigation to the scandal-plagued bank. Now Bradley Linskens is getting a new job at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, where he has worked for more than two decades.

Commercial Property Executive, Apr. 24, 2019--Jeffrey SteeleHow will CMBS origination stack up this year? After the first several months of 2019, signs continue to point to a significant decline in volume, though some observers contend the reduction could be less severe than expected. (MBA mention)