The MBA is focusing on regulatory reforms to help reduce the cost of mortgages. There is also some hope that Congress will pass legislation addressing trigger leads.

Regulations under Section 8 of RESPA are “obsolete and costly with few consumer benefits,” according to the MBA.

In a busy week at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s annual conference, Freddie Mac rolled out an expansion of its repurchase alternative pilot. Officials also defended the closed-end second-lien pilot.

Housing advocates say weaker goals don’t give the GSEs enough incentive to support underserved communities; lenders say they give needed leeway when markets are unpredictable.

The Mortgage Bankers Association hosted experts in artificial intelligence at its annual convention this week to help familiarize attendees with the opportunities AI will bring to their businesses.

For issuers that are able to demonstrate a history of successful hedging, Ginnie Mae could allow them to reduce the level of capital they must hold, according to a senior Ginnie official.

Economist and former PIMCO CEO Mohamed El-Erian says the U.S. economy is the cream of the crop in the developed world. And the prospects for housing finance are also looking up.

Lenders and servicers face increasing risks related to rising property insurance costs.

HUD’s acting secretary said many younger Americans don’t believe they will have the same housing opportunities as their parents.

As the timeline shrinks for the implementation of the new credit scores for GSE borrowers, anxiety grows among lenders and even FICO and VantageScore.