The Lede

Forbes, Aug. 2, 2019--Joe TyrrellThe author, COO with Ellie Mae, says mortgage lenders have improved the ability to reach an initial credit decision quickly, but there's still a long way to go before funds can be disbursed after a few taps, clicks or swipes.

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 2, 2019--Rachel Louise Ensign (subscription)Wells Fargo & Co., in cost-cutting mode, recently asked outside technology consultants to refund some of the money the bank has spent with them in the past year, saying the vendors benefited from its regulatory problems.

National Mortgage News, Aug. 2, 2019--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)June employment by nondepository mortgage bankers and brokers was little changed from the previous month, but later numbers could prove stronger given some influential lenders' interest in staffing up.

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 4, 2019--Robert McMillan (subscription)The woman who allegedly pulled off one of the largest-ever bank-data heists appeared to have exploited a vulnerability in the cloud that security experts have warned about for years.

National Mortgage Professional, Aug. 2, 2019--Phil HallFDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams stated that cybersecurity was "something we take very seriously." She warned banks that they could face enforcement penalties if they allow cybersecurity breaches to impact their data safety.

National Mortgage News, Aug. 2, 2019--Kate Berry (subscription)Mortgage lenders are fearful that the bottom will fall out of the housing market if the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposal to revise underwriting rules reduces the volume of loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

New York Times, Aug. 4, 2019--Jim Tankersley, Ben CasselmanThe mortgage-interest deduction, a beloved tax break bound tightly to the American dream of homeownership, once seemed politically invincible. Then it nearly vanished in middle-class neighborhoods across the country, and it appears that hardly anyone noticed.

National Mortgage News, Aug. 2, 2019--Elina Tarkazikis (subscription)Mortgage loans sold through HUD's Distressed Asset Stabilization Program- mainly to private equity firms -are more likely to result in foreclosure than unsold loans, according to the GAO report.

UExpress, Aug. 2, 2019--Lew SichelmanThe housing market is definitely changing. Maybe not everywhere, at least not yet. But in most places, sellers are slowly losing their dominance and buyers are taking control.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Risk Management, QA and Fraud Prevention Forum takes place Sept. 15-17 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.