The Lede

National Mortgage News, July 31, 2019--Paul Centopani (subscription)Freddie Mac continues to churn out steady financial returns, with the growth in first-time home buyers and credit risk transfers providing the GSE stable footing when a recession comes, according to new CEO David Brickman.

CNBC, July 31, 2019--Diana OlickOverall volume for mortgage applications fell 1.4% last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. Volume was still 35% higher than a year ago, when interest rates were significantly higher.

HousingWire, July 31, 2019--Jessica GuerinFirst Data is now Fiserv, the company announced Wednesday, revealing that it has officially completed its $22 billion acquisition of the payments giant to create what will no doubt be a fintech monolith.

HousingWire, Aug. 1, 2019An industry veteran with nearly 30 years in the mortgage business, Susan Stewart is the CEO of SWBC Mortgage, a Texas-based mortgage lender.

Wall Street Journal, Aug. 1, 2019--Ben Eisen (subscription)The Federal Housing Administration, which insures loans for mostly first-time buyers, plans to announce Thursday it will limit cash-out refinancings in its program. Borrowers will be able to pull cash out only when the new loan amounts to 80% of the value of the home or less, down from 85%.

National Mortgage News, July 31, 2019--Hannah Lang (subscription)Under a HUD proposal that circulated Wednesday but has not officially been unveiled, a consumer would have to follow a more rigorous five-step framework to demonstrate that discrimination occurred. The "disparate impact" doctrine can be used to punish lenders for discriminatory effects even if none were intended.

National Real Estate Investor, July 31, 2019--Beth Mattson-TeigInvestors are getting increasingly concerned about the outlook for retail-backed commercial mortgage-backed securities 2.0 loans.

MBA Education and Compliance Essentials present a workshop, Managing the Risks of CFPB and State Examinations, on Sunday, Sept. 15 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago, in conjunction with the MBA Risk Management, QA and Fraud Prevention Summit.