The Lede

HousingWire, Sept. 9, 2019--Alcynna LloydAs homebuyer demand rises, the Mortgage Bankers Association indicates that refinance demand is also growing. According to the organization's latest Mortgage Applications Survey, August's refinance volume was more than 150% higher than the same time period in 2018.

Wall Street Journal, Sept. 9, 2019--Kate Davidson (subscription)Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday he expects an agreement soon to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to begin retaining their earnings, one of the first steps in the administration's plan to return the mortgage-finance companies to private hands.

American Banker, Sept. 9, 2019--Hannah Lang (subscription)The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is stepping up its enforcement actions after her predecessor had temporarily frozen the agency's ability to use the tool, said Director Kathy Kraninger.

National Mortgage News, Sept. 9, 2019--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)The Federal Trade Commission wants to block the merger of Fidelity National Financial and Stewart Information Services stating the deal would reduce competition for title insurance, including for large commercial real estate transactions.

Urban Land magazine, Sept. 9, 2019--Kirk Sikes, Evan Mitchell, Sommer HeymanIn commercial real estate, we are rewarded for staying ahead of the curve and identifying opportunities that others miss. If we refuse to acknowledge the competitive advantage that diversity offers in our pursuit of returns, we are willingly accepting lower yields and additional risk.