Originations

New-home construction unexpectedly fell in September on a plunge in multifamily building while permits rose more than forecast, in signs of fitful progress in residential real estate.

Confidence among homebuilders cooled in October from an 11-month high, reflecting a pause in the market for single-family houses.

Comerica is gaining momentum after a rough start to 2016.

Regions Financial reported a higher third-quarter profit, citing improved fee income from mortgage lending, capital markets and credit and debit cards.

Lenders and servicers haven't faced the same scrutiny over data security as their peers in retail and other financial services sectors. But mortgage companies must remain vigilant, as the extensive data they collect can expose consumers to identity theft if it got in the wrong hands.

Upcoming look-backs of key Dodd-Frank provisions like the Qualified Mortgage rule are unlikely to result in new regulatory changes. But any effort to revisit already-implemented rules should give cause for concern, legal experts warn.

While compliance costs continue to increase for lenders, the rising age of company owners is what's prompting many independent mortgage bankers to sell their companies.

Fluctuations in home price and wage gains have created a volatile outlook for housing affordability across the country. By better deciphering market data, mortgage companies can hone their strategies to respond to prevailing economic trends.

To successfully respond to the most pressing challenges facing the mortgage industry right now, lenders and servicers must navigate issues of competition, governance, affordability and margins.

Independent mortgage bankers are concerned that if Congress votes to privatize the Common Securitization Platform, it could give large banks too much control over the real estate finance market.