The Lede

Fannie Mae, Washington, D.C., said mortgage lenders reported a net negative profit margin outlook for the sixth consecutive quarter, matching the record low reading from Q4 2016.

CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif., said home price growth helped homeowners gain $908 billion in equity during 2017.

After weeks--make that months--of debate, negotiations, markups and amendments, the Senate yesterday passed a sweeping regulatory relief package.

CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif., reported early stage delinquencies rose slightly in December, but seriously delinquent delinquencies and foreclosures fell.

Bloomberg, Mar. 19, 2018--Christopher FlavelleThe Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety examined building policies in 18 Atlantic and Gulf Coast states and found that despite the increasing severity of natural disasters, many of those states have relaxed their approach to codes--or have yet to impose any whatsoever.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 19, 2018A Freddie Mac offering sold through an auction process had three residential pools with more than $300 million in non-performing mortgages.

Fox Business, Mar. 19, 2018--Liz WestonEven before reverse mortgages became more expensive, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warned last year against another strategy that some financial advisers were promoting: using the loans to delay claiming Social Security.

HousingWire, Mar. 19, 2018--Ben LaneThe title insurance world is about to get a whole lot smaller, as Fidelity National Financial is set to buy Stewart Information Services in a massive $1.2 billion deal.

Bloomberg, Mar. 19, 2018--David M LevittLast year, Chinese conglomerate HNA bought 245 Park Ave., a late 1960s-era building that's home to JPMorgan Chase & Co., paying one of the highest prices ever for a New York office property. Values have since dropped and HNA faces the challenge of selling a building that's starting to lose some of its gold-plated tenants and in need of improvements that could cost its new owner more than $1 billion.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 16, 2018The nation's mortgage insurance companies are warning about a new pilot program that enables Freddie Mac to bypass traditional mortgage insurance.

National Mortgage News, Mar. 16, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Only a small percentage of borrowers are deterred by the higher rates seen this year, even with the additional cost making it tough for first-time buyers to find affordable properties, said Redfin.

Bloomberg, Mar. 15, 2018--Yalman OnaranSince President Donald Trump signed an executive order last year seeking ways to ease banking rules prompted by the global financial crisis, much has happened--but not much has been completed.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 15, 2018Cenlar FSB opened an office in O'Fallon, Missouri. Cenlar is an employee-owned federally chartered wholesale bank.

Reuters, Mar. 15, 2018--Pete SchroederThe House of Representatives will not approve a bill easing bank rules passed by the Senate without additional provisions that would further relax regulations introduced after the 2007-2009 financial crisis, a leading lawmaker said on Thursday. The comments by Representative Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, inject new uncertainty into Congress' first bipartisan attempt to rewrite the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

CNBC, Mar. 15, 2018--Sarah O'BrienThe Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that aims to ease banking regulations, potentially making it easier for consumers to get a mortgage from a community bank or credit union.

American Banker, Mar. 14, 2018--David StevensMBA President and CEO rebuts a recent op-ed calling for recapitalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, asserting such a strategy would "decimate the ability of community banks and smaller lenders to participate in the secondary mortgage market."

National Real Estate Investor, Mar. 14, 2018--Mary DiduchThe spread between the cap rates used by Moody's Investors Services, Morningstar Credit Ratings and S&P Global Ratings on conduit loans and the market is widening.

National Mortgage News, Mar. 14, 2018--Brian Collins (subscription)A mortgage program created by a 2015 partnership between the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago and Ginnie Mae recently crossed a milestone with over $1 billion in government-backed mortgages securitized through the venture, the partnership announced Wednesday.

Washington Post, Mar. 14, 2018--Kenneth R. HarneyA key policy change by mortgage giant Fannie Mae that offered homeownership to thousands of new buyers--many of them minorities--could face significant cutbacks. The reason: Private mortgage insurers are rethinking their decisions to participate.

HousingWire, Mar. 14, 2018--Ben LaneUnder the legislation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would be renamed the Financial Product Safety Commission and would led by five commissioners, instead of one director as it is today.

Washington Post, Mar. 14, 2018--Tracy JanThe mortgage industry says the proposed deregulation would cut costs and help smaller community banks remain competitive, enabling them to make even more loans. The Mortgage Bankers Association estimates that expanded data would still be collected on 95 percent of loans.

DS News, Mar. 13, 2018--David WhartonAccording to New View Advisors, a financial services advisory firm, issuers of home-equity conversion mortgage-backed securities sold 129 pools in February, totaling $1.47 billion. That made for the second-highest month on record.

Wall Street Journal, Mar. 13, 2018--Justin Baer, Ryan Tracy (subscription)Ten years ago Wednesday, that was Bear Stearns Cos., a once-storied firm whose excessive leverage had helped put it on the brink. The Federal Reserve tried to limit the damage with extraordinary actions, first extending the firm credit before forcing it into a hasty weekend shotgun marriage to JPMorgan.