The Lede

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last week published two reports: one that largely favorably assesses effectiveness of its Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule; the second that assesses effectiveness of its mortgage servicing rule issued under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.

Homeowner tenure--the time a typical homeowner lives in a home before moving--has more than doubled in the years following the recession and has increased by 10 percent just from a year ago, said First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.

A majority of Americans (55%) do not think their personal financial situation will be better in 2019 than it was in 2018, according to a new Bankrate.com report.

Homeowner tenure--the time a typical homeowner lives in a home before moving--has more than doubled in the years following the recession and has increased by 10 percent just from a year ago, said First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.

Homeowner tenure--the time a typical homeowner lives in a home before moving--has more than doubled in the years following the recession and has increased by 10 percent just from a year ago, said First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.

Michael Bright, whose nomination as President of Ginnie Mae has been in congressional limbo for months, requested yesterday that his nomination be withdrawn.

Three weeks into the partial government shutdown, pressures are mounting.

Michael Bright, whose nomination as President of Ginnie Mae has been in congressional limbo for months, requested yesterday that his nomination be withdrawn.

Michael Bright, whose nomination as President of Ginnie Mae has been in congressional limbo for months, requested yesterday that his nomination be withdrawn.

In an important win for Mortgage Bankers Association members, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac last month announced changes to their compensatory fee structures that better take into account a mortgage servicers' operations and no longer impose fees at the outset of the process.

CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif., said mortgage delinquencies fell to their lowest rates since 2000, with foreclosure inventories at their lowest rate since 2005.

The Mortgage Bankers Association has begun enrollment for its 2019 Servicing Operations Study and Forum (covering 2018 data). Sign-up deadline is Jan. 15, 2019.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 14, 2019 (subscription)The U.S. Supreme Court turned away a broad challenge to the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency that Republicans say has stifled economic growth through over-regulation.

American Banker, Jan. 14, 2019--John Heltman (subscription)The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision unveiled a revised capital standard Monday for what banks should set aside for market risk. The market risk recommendations are among the most important aspects of the Basel III capital accords that remain unfinished.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 11, 2019--Hannah Lang (subscription)House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., called for an end to the government shutdown, claiming that over a million households have been negatively affected by the partial closure of HUD.

HousingWire, Jan. 11, 2019--Ben LaneA group of 22 Democrats introduced legislation in both the Senate and the House of Representatives that would protect federal workers and their families from foreclosures, evictions, and loan defaults during a government shutdown.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 13, 2019--Rob Blackwell, Hannah Lang, Andy Peters (free article)The government shutdown is now the longest in American history, officially hitting that mark over the weekend. Though only a partial shutdown, it is having an outsize impact on banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders across the country.

Consumer Reports, Jan. 9, 2019--Daniel Bartz"This money should be used for purposes that really add value," says Michael Fratantoni, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association. That means spending the cash on a home repair or paying off high-cost debt, rather than taking a vacation.

American Banker, Jan. 9, 2019--Rachel Witkowski (subscription)The headwinds blowing at fintech firms seeking a national chartering option are still fierce. But observers believe 2019 is the year that a multistate licensing regime will officially arrive.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 8, 2019--Paul Centopani, Austin Kilgore (free article)Bob Broeksmit took over as president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association in August. Can he keep the positive momentum going amid significant industry shifts? How will the trade group pivot its lobbying with a divided Congress?

HousingWire, Jan. 8, 2019--Ben LaneThe Federal Housing Administration announced late Tuesday that it is calling on all approved mortgagees and lenders to be "sensitive to the financial hardships experienced by borrowers as a result of the shutdown," including borrowers who are subject to furlough, layoff, or a reduction in income due to the shutdown.