National Mortgage News - January 2017

Mortgage brokers and their wholesale partners have seen a slow increase in their market share since the start of the housing recovery. Remax's Motto Mortgage franchise business could accelerate growth faster than the channel's advocates hope for.

Through Motto Mortgage, Remax is looking to give its smaller franchisees the same ability to offer one-stop shopping to homebuyers as larger operators, in a way that will not raise red flags for regulators.

While precise definitions vary, the term generally describes a smooth customer experience that may not even require a phone call or branch visit.

Many consumers without traditional credit scores have nearly identical risk profiles to those who can be assessed the conventional way, representing an untapped market, according to a report by VantageScore.

Even before taking office, Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin has said he wants to return Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the private sector, a radically different vision of housing finance reform than that pushed by other Republicans.

Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin's plan to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government control could mean increased competition for lenders' loans. But it could also prompt a rise in mortgage rates.

Some banks are set to get a fourth-quarter earnings boost from their MSR portfolios, thanks to a sudden spike in yields on Treasury bonds. Add to that the prospect of further rate hikes and the potential dismantling of Basel III, and more banks could be encouraged to re-enter the servicing business.

The Federal Communications Commission has denied a request to exempt servicers from getting consent before robo-calling borrowers' mobile phones, rejecting arguments that the waiver would enable the mortgage industry to better help delinquent borrowers.

Construction loans are a big source of interest income for community banks but also carry a lot of risk. A few fintech firms say their platforms can reduce the risk and improve the lending process.

A flood of fintech companies are promising to create a better experience for mortgage borrowers, forcing lenders to contemplate buying a vendor's software, building applications in-house — or even outright acquiring a company with digital expertise.

Employees at the Office of Financial Research have raised concerns about racial discrimination and dysfunction at the agency, according to internal documents and videos posted online.

While President-elect Donald Trump already faces numerous potential conflicts-of-interest between his businesses and the presidency, his real estate ties and campaign promises raise serious questions about his approach to the housing industry.

Although he has since walked-back his original pledge to deport 11 million people, if President-elect Donald Trump attempts to fulfill his campaign promise, the damage to the housing industry would be substantial.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Dec. 9.

From the rising influence of millennials to shifting trends in home prices and housing inventory, here's a look at the top housing market trends for 2017.