The Lede

HousingWire, Mar. 27, 2019--Jessica Guerin, Ben LanePresident Donald Trump is officially calling for an end to the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the White House said Wednesday.

Barrons, Mar. 27, 2019--Alexandra Scaggs (free content)Analysts have spent years warning that the costs of climate change will pile up for real estate investors, as rising sea levels could cause severe weather and flood damage.

Mortgage Orb, Mar. 27, 2019--Patrick BarnardThe memorandum comes the same day numerous housing finance groups testified before the Senate Banking Committee on a proposed housing finance reform bill introduced by Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. "The housing finance system requires structural reforms that will ensure a stable, liquid secondary market to support a vibrant, diverse primary market, and comprehensive legislation is essential for such reforms," said Robert D. Broeksmit, CMB, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

National Mortgage News, Mar. 27, 2019--Elina Tarkazikis (subscription)From rising closing costs to implementation strategies, here's a look at five themes shaping the direction of digital mortgages in 2019, according to topics discussed at the Mortgage Bankers Association Technology Conference March 24-27 in Dallas.

CNBC, Mar. 27, 2019--Diana OlickMortgage applications jumped 8.9 percent last week from the previous week and 5.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Washington Post, Mar. 27, 2019--Kenneth R. HarneyFirst-time and move-up home buyers with heavy debt loads, low credit scores and small down payments face a daunting new mortgage hurdle: The Federal Housing Administration is toughening its underwriting standards. Large numbers of applications could be turned down in the coming months as a result.

HousingWire, Mar. 27, 2019--Kelsey RamirezIndependent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a net loss of $200 for each loan they originated in the fourth quarter, according to the Quarterly Mortgage Bankers Performance Report released by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

American Banker, Mar. 27, 2019--Kate Berry (subscription)Assemblywoman Monique Limon, D-Santa Barbara, said Wednesday that California needs more consumer protection, either through the creation of a new agency similar to the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or by increasing the enforcement budget of the state's Department of Business Oversight.

The Mortgage Bankers Association Capital Markets Summit brings together the wider commercial real estate finance industry to learn about growing capital sources such as debt funds and mortgage REITs.