The Lede

While we've upgraded to Google Maps to get us to where we're going; we're more than comfortable with Netflix's recommendation engine to suggest a movie or TV show; and Uber has now become a widely accepted form of transportation, we continue to rely on green-screen technology and "one size fits all" subservicers to manage billions of servicing portfolios that vary dramatically from one organization to the next. Why the complacency to not seek out a better solution?

After several quarters of slackening growth, home improvement spending is projected to pick-up pace moving into next year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity from the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

The Center for American Progress, Washington, D.C. released a study showing nearly 1,000 U.S. counties continue to present "increasing or stagnating" percentages of homes with negative equity.  

Black Knight Financial Services, Jacksonville, Fla., said after eight years, Florida relinquished its title, if not perception, as the "Foreclosure Capital of the U.S."  

MBA Education, the education arm of the Mortgage Bankers Association, presents a two-part webinar series, Understanding the Mystery of Secondary Marketing, on Nov. 4 and Nov. 18.

The Mortgage Bankers Association presents two new webinars in its popular Compliance Essentials Series on Nov. 16 and 18. 

The Mortgage Bankers Association has made available four self-study courses designed to provide you with up to date training and information on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's TILA/RESPA Integrated Disclosures rule. 

HousingWire, Oct. 27, 2015--Gaffney, Jacob Radian Group announced its net income halved from the same period last year. However, the company remains positive about its growth opportunities in the mortgage insurance business.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 27, 2015--Peters, Andy HUD plans to sell about $1.3 billion of nonperforming residential loans next month.

OurBroker.com, Nov. 2, 2015--Miller, Peter G. Marina Walsh, the Vice President of Industry Analysis with the Mortgage Bankers Association, said that "legacy loans continued to account for the majority of all troubled mortgages.

Associated Press, Nov. 2, 2015 The Supreme Court won't hear an appeal from shareholders who claim the Standard & Poor's ratings firm made false statements about its ratings of risky mortgage investments that helped trigger the financial crisis.

National Mortgage News, Nov. 2, 2015--Peters, Andy Defaults on commercial mortgage-backed securities declined from the end of the third quarter, compared to the previous quarter, according to Fitch Ratings.

HousingWire, Nov. 2, 2015--Lane, Ben The chief executive officers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will have to wait two more weeks to see if Congress will vote to install limits on their compensation, after a busy Congressional calendar delayed a scheduled vote on the compensation packages of Fannie Mae CEO Timothy Mayopoulos and Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton.

HousingWire, Nov. 2, 2015--Swanson, Brena A report from Black Knight Financial Services appears to show that the average credit score for refinance applications is loosening. However, with further investigation, the truth is that there is only a decrease in the number of high credit score borrowers since most of them likely already refinanced and taken advantage of the low interest rates.

Housing Wire, Oct. 30, 2015--Lane, Ben For all the sound and fury surrounding the implementation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures rule earlier this month, early indications are that TRID isn't actually going to have any impact on the lifeblood of the mortgage business--originations.

Phoenix Business Journal, Nov. 1, 2015--O'Grady, Patrick Bank of America Corp. will pay $335 million in a settlement for a lawsuit that it misled investors regarding its mortgage-related activity.

HousingWire, Oct. 29, 2015--Fratantoni, Mike MBA chief economist said those looking for the next housing bubble need to study the current regulatory environment and household formation trends suggest such concerns are exaggerated.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 29, 2015--Heltman, John A major investor in insurance giant American International Group is calling on the company to break itself up into three companies to get out from under its designation as one of only four systemically risky nonbanks.

Housing Wire, Oct. 29, 2015--Lane, Ben Several of the largest civil rights groups in the country are joining together to call on the federal government to end the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and recapitalize the agencies, stating that an independent and fully capitalized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can better serve the country's housing needs.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 28, 2015--Wack, Kevin The U.S. government recently handed down strong new rules designed to protect consumers from unwanted robo-calls. But maybe some robo-calls aren't so bad. Like debt-collection calls in cases where the debt happens to be backed by Uncle Sam.

HousingWire, Oct. 27, 2015--Lane, Ben Anthony Albanese, acting superintendent of the New York Department of Financial Services will step down later this year, amidst rumors of tension between the NYDFS and the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.