Interplay between debt ceiling and mortgage interest rates; mortgage employment declines; rate locks down; Rithm considers spin-off; Planet Financial looking for lenders; new LO recruiting software; Blend’s market share grows; Black Knight’s margins; new appraisal marketplace; MISMO requests for comment.

Mortgage companies waiting for the market to improve; some high marks on MSRs; Ishbia ready to dedicate more time to UWM; Equifax offers expanded credit reports; House approves bill to set minimum federal standards for remote online notarization; Better launches mortgage product for Amazon employees.

NYCB closes Flagstar’s non-bank branches; FHA offers new incentives for servicers; home prices decline again in November; MBA writes to FHFA on the cost of doing business with the GSEs; new products aimed at newly-constructed homes; MISMO offers loan limit tool.

FTC proposes banning noncompete clauses across wide swath of industries; Rocket unveils special purpose credit program; Guild joins other lenders in offering temporary buydowns.

Both Moody’s and Fitch expect a recession in 2023. But, unless conditions change markedly, they predict the impact on the housing market will be limited on a national basis.

It's a tough origination market, that's for sure. But when times are tough, opportunities can present themselves. Is now a time to buy retail branches from shops that are struggling? If the price is right, yes.

In an insurance claim dispute resulting from Guaranteed Rate’s settlement with the DOJ involving the False Claims Act, a court said Ace American Insurance Company has to pay the lender for the cost of the settlement.

Although the nation’s job numbers look exceeding bright, all is not well with the mortgage industry where the job shedding machine is working overtime.

Last year was a record year in terms of loan production at $4.4 trillion. But oftentimes, when you have a boom, there’s an ugly hangover in the form of job cutbacks. How bad might it get?

It’s no secret that mortgage bankers and brokers are cutting workers as lending ebbs in a much higher rate environment. But with the exception of Better.com, the layoffs have not been huge. Yet.