The Lede

National Mortgage News, Jan. 13, 2019--Rob Blackwell, Hannah Lang, Andy Peters (free article)The government shutdown is now the longest in American history, officially hitting that mark over the weekend. Though only a partial shutdown, it is having an outsize impact on banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders across the country.

BizWomen, Jan. 11, 2019--Anne StychAnalysts believe mortgage rates will pass 5.25 percent before eventually dipping to an average rate for 30-year fixed mortgages of 4.35 percent. However, Mike Fratantoni, chief economist with the Mortgage Bankers Association, said rate increases should be low over the next two quarters.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 11, 2019--Hannah Lang (subscription)House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., called for an end to the government shutdown, claiming that over a million households have been negatively affected by the partial closure of HUD.

HousingWire, Jan. 11, 2019--Ben LaneA group of 22 Democrats introduced legislation in both the Senate and the House of Representatives that would protect federal workers and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown.

Washington Post, Jan. 11, 2019--Lisa Rein, Jeff Stein The lobbying was led by Robert Broeksmit, chief executive of the Mortgage Bankers Association, who took the matter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's senior adviser, Treasury officials confirmed.

Wall Street Journal, Jan. 13, 2019--Andrew Ackerman (subscription)The Trump administration last week revived a program that is key to home lending, after the mortgage industry said its closure during the partial government shutdown could have forced lenders to delay or scrap loan closings.The Mortgage Bankers Association and other industry groups had complained to the Treasury Department that the program's closure as part of the shutdown could harm consumers seeking to obtain a loan.

Dodd-Frank Update, Jan. 11, 2019 (free article)The fact that USDA loans have no downpayment requirements and come with relatively low interest rates and fees for rural and suburban homebuyers makes them a particularly affordable option under normal circumstances. The current delay could impact the latter, which could cause an issue for cash-strapped buyers.

UExpress, Jan. 11, 2019--Lew SichelmanSome 6,000-10,000 e-loans have been completed in just the past two years. That's still just a drop in the proverbial bucket when you consider that more than 6.6 million home loans were written in 2017 alone, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.