The Lede

Washington Post, Aug. 8, 2019--Kathy OrtonDriven down by worries about a trade war with China, mortgage rates have sunk to multiyear lows, which caused mortgage applications to pick up. According to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association, the market composite index--a measure of total loan application volume--increased 5.3 percent from a week earlier.

National Mortgage Professional, Aug. 8, 2019--Phil HallThe mortgage credit availability declined slightly last month, according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index report published by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 8, 2019--Harriet Torry (subscription)Private-sector economic forecasters surveyed in recent days by The Wall Street Journal on average saw a 63.9% probability for a rate cut at the Fed's Sept. 17-18 meeting, up from 49.8% in the prior month's survey.

National Mortgage News, Aug. 8, 2019--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)More applications for non-QM loans might close if lenders and originators beefed up efforts to address missing or outdated information, according to a new Computershare study.

HousingWIre, Aug. 8, 2019--Ben LaneAccording to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Upstart Network's credit underwriting model uses traditional underwriting data like borrowers' income and assets, along with various categories of alternative data, including information related to borrowers' education and employment history.

Orange County Register, Aug. 8, 2019--Jeff LazersonTicktock. You have until Aug. 31 to cash out up to 85% of your property's value by refinancing your Federal Housing Administration loan. Starting Sept. 1, new rules kick in limiting FHA cash-out refinancing to 80% of your property's value. (MBA mention)

Wall Street Journal, Aug 8, 2019--Matt Wirz, Christina Rexrode, Rachel Louise Ensign (subscription)Falling bond yields have pushed mortgage rates to their lowest level in nearly three years, spurring a rush by homeowners to refinance.

GeekWire, Aug. 8, 2019--Nat LevyCEO Rich Barton said on a call with investors that Zillow has slowed hiring of mortgage officers as it continues to test the software and work out the kinks.

National Real Estate Investor, Aug. 8, 2019--Liz WolfThe $5 billion American Dream mall project in New Jersey is betting big on entertainment components. Can it succeed?

The Mortgage Bankers Association's annual Human Resources Symposium takes place Sept. 11-12 at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Va.

mPact is MBA's network for young professionals in the real estate finance industry. Join a community of your peers, share your experiences with others online, network with industry insiders, hone your skills or have a voice in the future of real estate finance.

mPact is MBA's network for young professionals in the real estate finance industry. Join a community of your peers, share your experiences with others online, network with industry insiders, hone your skills or have a voice in the future of real estate finance.

mPact is MBA's network for young professionals in the real estate finance industry. Join a community of your peers, share your experiences with others online, network with industry insiders, hone your skills or have a voice in the future of real estate finance.