The Lede
Top National News
Local Mortgage Lender Shutting Down, Laying Off Dozens
Richmond (Va.) BizSense, May 7, 2019--Michael Schwartz In the face of what it claims is a liquidity crunch, once fast-growing Virginia mortgage company Live Well Financial is abruptly winding down its operations and laying off more than 100 employees.
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Fifth Avenue Losing Luster as Vacancies Climb, Rents Fall
Wall Street Journal, May 7, 2019--Esther Fung (subscription)Global retailers once seemed to pay whatever it took to lease space on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore.
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Ocwen’s 1Q Loss Due to Lower Interest Rates Affecting its MSRs
National Mortgage News, May 7, 2019--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Lower interest rates caused mortgage serving rights runoff plus a charge to the fair value of that portfolio and led to Ocwen Financial posting a first-quarter loss.
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Republicans Move to Abolish CFPB
HousingWire, May 7, 2019--Ben LaneIf a handful of Republicans in the Senate have their way, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will not exist for much longer, as for at least the third time in the last few years, Republicans are trying to kill the CFPB.
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VA Mortgage Lenders Hit with Federal Subpoenas
Politico, May 7, 2019--Lorraine WoellertFederal investigators have issued subpoenas to several mortgage lenders that make loans to military veterans, seeking information on delinquencies and payments.
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Real Estate’s Latest Bid: Zillow Wants to Buy Your House
New York Times, May 7, 2019--Ben Casselman, Conor DoughertyTech companies have begun to nibble away at the edges of the residential real estate industry, offering virtual open houses, digital closings and other services. Now they are coming straight for the real estate transaction itself through "instant buying," in which companies buy homes, perform some light maintenance and put them back on the market.
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U.S. Job Openings Surge, Point to Tightening Labor Market
Reuters, May 7, 2019--Lucia MutikaniU.S. job openings rebounded sharply in March, while the pace of hiring was little changed, pointing to a growing worker shortage that could slow employment growth this year.
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