The Lede

Black Knight, Jacksonville, Fla., said low interest rates reduced the national median income to make monthly principal and interest payments on the average-priced home in September to the most affordable level in three years.

A new study of distressed property dispositions between 2003 and 2017 by Fannie Mae and academic researchers finds loss severity on nonperforming loans is lower when properties are disposed of early, before a lender takes ownership.

Millennials are moving more often and living in their homes for a shorter period than previous generations, said Zillow Inc., Seattle.

Ellie Mae, Pleasanton, Calif., said interest rates hovering at or below 4 percent spurred a "surge" in millennial refinances in August.

NPR, Oct. 7, 2019--Chris ArnoldIn the past year, developers around the country built more than 40,000 homes as single-family rentals.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 7, 2019--Kate Berry (subscription)Debt collectors notched a victory when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed allowing more use of electronic communication. But industry lawyers are worried a recent court decision could thwart that plan.

American Banker, Oct. 4, 2019--Hannah Lang (subscription)The recent announcement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be allowed to keep profits for the first time since 2012 was seen as a crucial early step in reforming the mortgage giants. But the news immediately shifted focus to a bigger question about their financial standing.

Washington Post, Oct. 2, 2019--Damian PalettaThe federal government has dramatically expanded its exposure to risky mortgages, as federal officials over the past four years took steps that cleared the way for companies to issue loans that many borrowers might not be able to repay. (MBA mention)

National Mortgage News, Oct. 2, 2019--Bonnie Sinnock (subscription)A federal judge granted in part and denied in part Ocwen Financial's motion to dismiss Florida regulators' case against the company, the last remaining of 30 state lawsuits filed in 2017.

HousingWire, Oct. 2, 2019--Ben LaneJust one day after selling Reverse Mortgage Solutions to Mortgage Assets Management, the nonbank formerly known as Walter Investment Management sold off its forward mortgage business Ditech Financial to New Residential Investment for $1.2 billion.

MarketWatch, Oct. 3, 2019--Keith JurowThe author says Wall Street and the news media have paid considerable attention to U.S. home mortgage modifications, but not much notice has been given to the growing problem of re-defaults on these modifications.

Reuters, Oct. 3, 2019--Lucia MutikaniComing on the heels of news this week that manufacturing activity plunged to a more than 10-year trough in September, the survey from the Institute for Supply Management on Thursday increased the risks of a recession. For now, a solid labor market is keeping the economy on a moderate growth path. (MBA mention)

HousingWire, Oct. 3, 2019--Ben LaneWhen the federal government announced earlier this week that it would allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to rebuild a portion of their capital reserves to a total of $45 billion combined as part of a plan to exit conservatorship, the message was clear: The government-sponsored enterprises are back and they're not likely to go away any time soon.

Mortgage Orb, Oct. 4, 2019--Angela HurstTo ensure sustainability during a market downturn, mortgage servicers must closely examine their current infrastructure, services and tools to ensure they provide the ability to not only track processes, but also allow users to automatically analyze the viability of different scenarios.

National Mortgage News, Oct. 1, 2019--Kate Berry (subscription)By declaring that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutional, CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger has potentially opened a floodgate of litigation against the agency.

Bloomberg, Oct. 2, 2019--Oshrat CarmielResale prices for Manhattan apartments tumbled the most in more than eight years, pushed down by buyer demands for discounts in a market swamped with choices.