MarketWatch

As Fannie and Freddie reform talk heats up, their regulator speaks up

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be reorganized as private, utility-like entities, and the government should provide an explicit guarantee for mortgages in order to preserve the popular 30-year fixed-rate loan, the regulator of the two government-sponsored mortgage enterprises said this week.

American Banker

FHFA breaks silence on housing finance reform

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt finally detailed his views on housing finance reform, saying that the agency believes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be reincorporated as private entities and the government must provide an explicit guarantee for catastrophic losses in the secondary mortgage market. (Subscription may be required.)

National Mortgage News

Treasury, FHFA see eye to eye on housing finance reform, top official says

The Treasury Department mostly agrees with a housing finance reform plan put forward by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt this week, according to Craig Phillips, a senior counselor to Secretary Steven Mnuchin. (Subscription may be required.)

The New York Times

Tax overhaul is a blow to affordable housing efforts

The last time that Congress approved a sweeping overhaul of the federal tax code, in 1986, it created a tax credit meant to encourage the private sector to invest in affordable housing. It has grown into a $9 billion-a-year social program that has funded the construction of some three million apartments for low-income residents.

HousingWire

Fannie Mae selects advisory panel for sustainable housing challenge

Fannie Mae announced today its formation of an expert advisory panel for its Sustainable Communities Innovation Challenge.

The Wall Street Journal

Houston's apartment market makes a comeback

The Houston rental apartment market is rebounding after years of pain caused by overbuilding and the weak energy sector. (Subscription may be required.)

The Wall Street Journal

That New York condo just got a lot more expensive

Apartment shoppers in Manhattan are taking a pause after a federal tax overhaul removed some key incentives for homeownership, brokers say. (Subscription may be required.)

MarketWatch

4 things consumers should think about before financing a home improvement

With Goldman Sachs' newest loan product, the money-center bank is making a smart bet.

The Atlantic

The great urban housing solution that has no good name

When Kol Peterson moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2010, affordable housing was a priority, as it was for many newcomers in this city's booming real-estate market. He looked at two frequently discussed options for high-cost cities—tiny houses on wheels and communal living—but decided on another option: accessory dwelling units, or ADUs—also known as "granny flats," or basement or garage apartments.

The Washington Post

New tax law expected to slow rise of home values, creating winners and losers

The steady increase in housing prices in many of the nation's priciest markets, including the Washington region, is expected to slow in coming years, analysts say, as the Republican tax law begins to reshape a major part of the U.S. economy.

National Mortgage News

For housing market, tax reform is a wrench in the works

The recently enacted tax reform bill is likely to reshape sections of the housing industry, including encouraging more consumers to rent instead of buy and tamp down the rapid rise in home prices. (Subscription may be required.)

The Washington Post

Housing market could shift under new tax law

Homeowners have been on a roll. Owning a home has been a good investment over the half dozen years since housing prices hit bottom after the crash. Prices over this period are up more than 30 percent nationwide — and much more in some places. Home prices in the District have risen by more than 50 percent.

NPR

Tax changes could hurt affordability at high end of the housing market

Kari Pinto and her husband recently retired, and now they hope to trade Iowa — and its harsh winters — for a state with a milder climate.

American Banker

Reg relief, GSEs to dominate banking policy on Capitol Hill in '18

Congress is likely to pass significant changes to the Dodd-Frank Act early next year and then attempt to overhaul roughly a third of the U.S. economy by restructuring the housing finance system. (Subscription may be required.)

MarketWatch

Fannie, Freddie mull broader credit scores for mortgage approvals

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have for years considered switching to alternative methods of assessing borrowers' credit scores and on Wednesday the two mortgage finance giants took a step closer to that goal.

HousingWire

Ellie Mae: Millennial homebuyer credit scores decreasing

The latest Ellie Mae Millennial Tracker report shows a slight decline in the average credit scores of closed loans to Millennials from the previous year.

Professional Warranty Service Corporation

Is Your Customer Experience Winning Over Prospects?

Moving forward, the most successful companies will be those that organize themselves around providing an exceptional customer journey from start to finish. But where to start?  Concentrate on these Top 5 Marketing Areas.