Prospective homebuyers in urban areas where the mortgage share of home sales is low may have to resort to riskier financing options.

Senate passes the ROAD to Housing Act; layoffs at HUD, CDFI Fund halted; MBA’s annual conference missing some federal officials.

The new option allows tri-merge resellers to calculate and deliver FICO scores directly to customers, bypassing the big credit bureaus. Experian countered with a move involving VantageScore 4.0.

The National Flood Insurance Program can’t issue new policies for the duration of the government shutdown, complicating and in some cases stalling lending for properties in flood-prone areas.

Many charges in a class action against UWM were dismissed, but some Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act claims will move forward.

Industry participants favor a proposal from the Federal Housing Finance Agency to repeal fair lending oversight of Fannie, Freddie and FHLBanks. Consumer advocates, meanwhile, were sharply critical.

Annaly Capital Management is buying a portfolio of lower-coupon MSRs from Pennymac, and also tapping Pennymac as subservicer of the portfolio.

Relying on the Supreme Court’s direction to apply a “nuanced comparative analysis” for determining federal preemption, some lower courts are finding that the National Bank Act doesn’t preempt state laws.

The new requirements, and the shutdown, are expected to further delay the release of CDFI Fund awards that have already been approved.

CA-based CMG Mortgage CEO and owner Chris George now owns a federally insured depository in Wisconsin. He’s putting an emphasis on hometown service and expanded mortgage offerings.