The Lede

ATTOM Data Solutions, Irvine, Calif., released its Midyear 2018 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows 362,275 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings, including default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions in the first six months of 2018, down 15 percent from the same period a year ago and down 78 percent from a peak of 1.654 million in the first six months of 2010.

CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif., said mortgage delinquencies continued to decline in April, with only states affected by 2017 hurricanes lagging.

With yet another deadline looming for the National Flood Insurance Program, the Mortgage Bankers Association and nearly two dozen other industry trade groups urged Congress to take action and pass a long-term program extension.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should improve its delivery channels for dissemination of its financial education programs and eliminate its flawed "rate-checker" tool for consumers.

American Banker, July 16, 2018--Victoria Finkle (subscription)When Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell faces lawmakers this week, one big question will almost certainly be: Is the central bank playing favorites among the big banks?

Mortgage Daily, July 16, 2018Issuance of Ginnie Mae mortgage-backed securities amounted to $36.999 billion during June, according to data released Monday by the government-owned organization.

HousingWire, July 13, 2018--Alcynna LloydMore than 20 of the top housing trade groups [including the Mortgage Bankers Association] urged Congress to extend the National Flood Insurance Program.

National Mortgage News, July 13, 2018--Kate Berry (subscription)Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and 24 other Senate Democrats have urged acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney to reinstate members of the agency's consumer advisory board, who were fired last month, and to provide details on the firings.

New York Times, July 15, 2018--Matthew GoldsteinThe foreclosure machine that ground to a halt in Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in September is slowly cranking up again. Island residents who fell behind on their payments are facing creditors ranging from Wall Street to the federal government.

National Mortgage News, July 12, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be forced to take draws from the U.S. Treasury again, this time due to an accounting rules change for loan-loss reserves.

HousingWire, July 12, 2018--Ben LaneEarlier this week, new FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery told a group of reporters that there likely won't be a cut to the FHA's mortgage insurance premiums this year, due to the health of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, the FHA's flagship insurance fund. And according to Montgomery, the agency is not planning on making any changes to its life of loan policy this year, either.

UExpress, July 13, 2018--Lew SichelmanMortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac helped "save" more than 68,000 borrowers from foreclosure in this year's first quarter by modifying their loans so the payments are more affordable. But according to another report from a well-respected real estate analyst, you sometimes can't even help those you've already helped.

Reuters, July 12, 2018--Elizabeth DiltsA decade on big U.S. banks are still running down and selling off crisis-era mortgages, a process executives point to as weighing on loan growth.

Mortgage Daily, July 11, 2018Genworth Mortgage Insurance reported 44 percent of industry executives polled at the recent MBA National Secondary Market Conference believe removing legal uncertainty surrounding the origination of loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration is the best way to improve access to mortgage credit.

Wall Street Journal, July 11, 2018--Yuka Hayashi (subscription)Trump administration officials on Wednesday promised to maintain a focus on fraud against consumers, particularly the elderly and service members, using the resources of several regulatory and law-enforcement agencies.

HousingWire, July 10, 2018--Ben LaneFHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery said Tuesday that while it's probably "too early to commit to anything," it's unlikely that the FHA will reduce its mortgage insurance premiums this year, citing the most recent FHA actuarial report.

HousingWire, July 10, 2018--Ben LaneFHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery said Tuesday that he believes the Obama administration went too far in some cases and said that the Trump administration is dialing back the use of the False Claims Act to bring more lenders back into FHA lending.

Mortgage Daily, July 10, 2018Versus Mortgage Capital, a nonprime correspondent investor, raised the maximum loan amount to $5 million for some of its programs that allow the origination of loans that don't meet Qualified Mortgage requirements.