Mortgage delinquency and foreclosure rates shrunk in the fourth quarter of 2018, helped by tight underwriting standards along with a strong economy and home price trends. [Includes one data chart.]

Comprehensive housing-finance reform probably isn’t in the cards anytime soon, but a plan to overhaul the GSEs is, according to industry participants. It remains unclear, though, what changes will be accomplished and whether Congress will pass legislation or if the reforms will be completed via the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Treasury Department.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency late this week issued a final rule aimed at improving liquidity of the to-be-announced MBS as well as the new uniform MBS, which makes its debut in early June.

If you’re wondering about the strength of the MBS and ABS markets these days, consider this: More than 8,000 people attended the SFIG Vegas conference this week, a record for the event, according to officials at the Structured Finance Industry Group.

Michael Stegman: “Clearly, there is going to be some kind of capitalization of the GSEs..."

Ocwen's share price took off like a rocket Wednesday morning...

Former Ginnie Mae chief Michael Bright: “These decisions have not been made..."

Now for the big question: Will any Democratic senators put a hold on the Calabria nomination?

FHFA’s Mary Ellen Taylor noted the project aims to increase liquidity in the to-be announced MBS market and is not an effort to combine Fannie and Freddie into one entity.

Zillow’s management believes that within three to five years the firm could originate 3,000 mortgages per month...