The Lede

Basel III and ongoing regulatory scrutiny led big U.S. banks further away from servicing residential mortgage loans as non-banks swooped in and beefed up their portfolios, said Fitch Ratings, New York, in its latest U.S. residential mortgage-backed securities servicer handbook.

Morningstar Credit Ratings, New York, said lease expirations across single-borrower, single-family rental securitizations declined to 5.2% in November while the average retention rate of expiring leases improved to 79.3%.

Zillow, Seattle, said total U.S. housing stock gained $2 trillion in value in 2017, to $31.8 trillion.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 8, 2018The offering is for mortgage servicing rights on 12,115 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac single-family loans that had an aggregate unpaid principal balance of $3.005 billion as of Nov. 30.

American Banker, Jan. 8, 2018--Joseph A. Smith Jr. (subscription)The author, former North Carolina Banking Commissioner, says the Federal Housing Finance Agency would be wise to stay with established and tested credit scoring methods, expanding them slowly and in light of market knowledge built over decades.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 5, 2018--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)Situs agreed Friday to buy mortgage servicing rights valuation and brokerage firm MountainView Financial Solutions in a deal set to close this month.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 5, 2018As rising rates have driven down the share of borrowers seeking rate-term refinances to the lowest level in six months, rising home values have driven the share of borrowers seeking cashout loans to a record high.

Chicago Daily Herald, Jan. 5, 2018Wintrust Mortgage also acquired servicing rights from Veterans First Mortgage on 8,300 loans, totaling an estimated $1.4 billion in principal balance.

Bloomberg, Jan. 5, 2018--Shahien NasiripourComplaints lodged against the lender with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau through Dec. 15 dropped 18 percent from the same period of 2016, the steepest decline among major banks, federal figures show. Still, it remained first among that group in total complaints.

HousingWire, Jan. 5, 2018--Ben LaneThe Trump administration is appears to be set to appoint Kirsten Sutton Mork, who currently serves as the House Financial Services Committee's staff director, to chief of staff of the Consumer Finanicial Protection Bureau.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 4, 2018Last year's issuance of private-label residential mortgage-backed securities was more than double 2016's level. Further growth is expected this year.

Bloomberg, Jan. 4, 2018--Claire BostonA wave of store closings and retailer bankruptcies is coming in early 2018, as the industry deteriorates faster than analysts had expected a year ago, according to Credit Suisse Group AG.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 4, 2018--Kate Berry (subsciption)Sen. Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, is calling on the Trump administration to support the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's enforcement action against PHH Corp., which agreed Wednesday to a $45 million settlement for foreclosure abuses.

HousingWire, Jan. 4, 2018--Ben LaneIn a move that prominent Democrats and fair housing experts are calling disastrous for the AFFH rule, HUD plans to announce Friday that it is delaying the deadline for local governments to submit their fair housing evaluations by one year.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 4, 2018--Brian Collins (subscription)The recently enacted tax reform bill is likely to reshape sections of the housing industry, including encouraging more consumers to rent instead of buy and tamp down the rapid rise in home prices.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 3, 2018Comprising the total are $318.159 billion in Ginnie Mae loans, $242.304 billion in Freddie Mac mortgages and $201.083 billion in Fannie Mae loans.

HousingWire, Jan. 3, 2018--Kelsey RamirezAfter steadily climbing for the past 13 years, the population of renters decreased for the first time since 2004, according to the Annual Rent Report from ABODO, an apartment listing service.

Dayton Daily News, Jan. 3, 2018--Max FilbyThe attorneys general of 49 states and Washington, D.C., reached a multi-million-dollar settlement with PHH Mortgage accused of improperly servicing loans.

Commercial Observer, Jan. 3, 2018--Mack BurkeFannie Mae and Freddie Mac have recently set multifamily lending records, but in the current multifamily market environment, that volume and competition could create a problem--and a slowdown may be on the way.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 2, 2018--Kate Berry (subscription)To say that 2017 was a year of upheaval for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is putting it mildly.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 2, 2018--Penny Crosman (subscription)Real estate deals on a blockchain are becoming real. The startup Propy recently sold an apartment in the Ukraine through its blockchain, and in the last week of December it began letting Californians buy and sell properties on its blockchain using bitcoin.