The new Congress that will be sworn in next January should concentrate on housing affordability, says Ron Terwilliger, chair of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy.

New Zealand researchers find that analysis of a borrower’s digital footprint improves loan performance and reduces discrimination.

Rate locks jump; home prices decline for second consecutive month; the remote work factor; website will connect borrowers with brokers; new loan origination system promises “fun.”

The California-based mortgage servicer also exited correspondent lending.

Commercial banks and savings institutions reported significant declines in secondary market mortgage activity during the second quarter. Home loans held for sale on banks’ books also saw a severe drop. (Includes two data charts.)

Repurchase activity at banks and thrifts increased sharply during the second quarter. PNC Bank overtook JPMorgan Chase to lead the industry in buybacks. (Includes data chart.)

It’s not easy making a living originating loans these days, especially for third-party lenders. The latest firm to exit TPO: Rushmore.

The standards-setting organization made tweaks large and small to its model, to smooth out workflow issues between transaction parties, and to allow companies to build new products.

Under the proposal from Urban Institute authors, mortgage servicers would be required to call borrowers within three months to offer refinancing once a payment reduction is triggered.

Stakeholders talk about the challenges in sharing MISMO datasets between different parts of the industry.