The White House this week finally made up its mind on a new regulator for the government-sponsored enterprises, picking conservative economist Mark Calabria to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Now comes the hard part: Getting the Senate to hold confirmation hearings and actually approve him.

Federal Financial Analytics calculates the trigger will be pulled by mid-2019.

The nomination had been expected for several weeks now and paves the way – quite possibly –for limitations on GSE pilot programs, loan parameters and secondary market liquidity.

It stands to reason that with production declining mortgage firms might have the upper hand over their sales personnel, but it’s never that simple...

The annual salary for the assistant director to head the office of cost-benefit analysis is between $200,595 and $247,500.

Kraninger on the recent name change of the agency: “I care more about what the agency does than what it is called…”

Some good news: Fannie chief economist Doug Duncan said continued strength in borrower demographics and the labor market offer hope that conditions should stabilize in 2019 and may even improve.

Tom Piercy of Incenter Mortgage Advisors: “Calabria is not an advocate for our industry – but he is also being appointed by the president, who does not want housing to falter between now and 2020.”

Cloudvirga, at one time, was headed by industry veteran Bill Dallas...

Gordon Albrecht of FCI said he’s not surprised the subservicing sector is doing well “because of all the states that keep adding regulations.”