National Mortgage News - July 2017

As demand for new homes outpaces supply, it is essential for mortgage lenders to pursue strategies that stimulate inventory levels, such as supporting builders with construction financing and offering homebuyers single-close construction-to-permanent loans. (The first in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

To close gaps in volume caused by inventory shortages and help consumers get over the homeownership hump, lenders are offering mortgage programs and features like low down payments, bridge loans for home sellers and student loan refinancing. (Part two in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

New compliance challenges and competition make real estate alliances harder to secure. But they're essential for lenders to maximize market share. (Part three in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

When market prices rise faster than comparable home sales values it is imperative for lenders to ensure property valuations are accurate, support the sales price and completed in a timely fashion to keep deals from falling through. (Part four in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

Canada's big banks are pursuing wholesale banking, capital markets and select M&A opportunities across the border to hedge against a slowing mortgage market and other economic concerns on the home front.

The trend of putting ever-smaller pieces of the same commercial mortgages into multiple securitizations requires investors to be extra careful, and will inevitably make workouts of bad loans more complicated.

The ICBA backs a plan to recapitalize Fannie and Freddie through retained earnings and public offerings, but other groups see it as a self-interested proposal to help GSE stockholders.

Democrats are raising concerns about a Republican push to transfer more of the risk of flood insurance to private insurers.

The number of homes with a foreclosure filing increased 5% in May over the previous month, as properties entering the process also increased by 5%.

Banks and other firms collecting defaulted debt originated by another company are not subject to the kinds of restrictions placed on third-party debt collectors, the Supreme Court ruled Monday in a unanimous decision.

At CIBC, Aayaz Pira is quickly turning ideas into apps, including its new mortgage one, with the help of its recently formed innovation hub.

Litigation is soaking up a significant share of resources at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which faces at least a dozen cases challenging its constitutionality and a surging number of legal disputes to its enforcement actions.

Mounting compliance risks and an evolving landscape for how consumers shop for homes and mortgages have some lenders re-examining whether they still need co-marketing arrangements with real estate brokerages.

The expansion of the Federal Reserve’s portfolio of Treasury debt and mortgage-backed securities has a bigger impact on the credit markets than paying banks interest on excess reserves.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending July 7.

From the Trump administration's initial efforts at reg relief and GSE reform to dramatic shifts in the servicing landscape, here's a look back at the top stories shaping the mortgage industry during the first half of 2017.