Sandra Thompson’s elevation to acting director from her role as head of housing mission and goals presaged FHFA’s new focus on fair lending practices enforcement.

The Ohio-based bank is winding down its direct-to-consumer mortgage lending business, citing falling margins and diminished refinances.

The changes: FHA has established a streamlined loan mod that servicers must offer to certain borrowers, GSE servicers have to follow the CFPB’s new standards a month earlier than intended, and Ginnie Mae and NCUA are allowing for a broader range of loan mods.

For the first time since QM standards took effect in early 2014, lenders can no longer rely on the government-sponsored enterprises to obtain QM status for a loan.

The sale of mortgage franchises is picking up but there’s a headwind tied to valuations. Owners are holding out for top dollar.

The mortgage technology vendor hasn’t been profitable since its inception in 2012 and is forecasting losses going forward.

Nonbanks no longer have to pay all cash for servicing rights in the secondary market. Reason: Commercial banks have returned to the sector as financiers.

The industry mostly supports the SEC plan to update climate-related disclosures, but there are concerns about how the changes will play out.

While nonbanks ranking among the top-100 lenders boosted production by 3.2% in the first quarter, depository institutions posted a 7.9% drop. (Includes two data charts.)

One veteran warehouse executive could be headed to the front lines of the M&A battle. Meanwhile, the Juneteenth holiday scuttled loan closings, but was the damage all that bad?