The Mortgage Bankers Association found mortgage applicants’ payments increased in May, indicating a decline in homebuyer affordability as mortgage rates remained near 7 percent.

The Federal Housing Administration notified the industry it is seeking comments regarding Buy Now, Pay Later loans via a request for information published in the Federal Register.

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to maintain the federal funds target rate at a range of 4-1/4 percent to 4-1/2 percent, citing a confluence of positive and negative economic indicators warranting a measured approach in the eyes of its members. The decision aligns with projections by mortgage industry leaders but elicited harsh criticism from President Donald Trump.

An Illinois federal judge denied a motion filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Chicago mortgage broker Townstone Financial to vacate the settlement the two parties reached to resolve allegations of redlining against Townstone.

One of the key shifts in data privacy best practices is an emphasis on a concept known as “anonymization.” ICE Vice President of Loan Data Products Conrad Ficca spoke with Dodd Frank Update about the benefits of a new approach to data privacy and other key considerations for a technology provider entrusted with protecting sensitive personal identifying information (PII) from a dataset.

If you are a business owner or a real estate professional who is unsure how certain aspects of the economy will impact you, you could likely benefit from Dr. Bill Conerly’s straight forward, to-the-point discussion with October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster on our Keys to Real Estate podcast.

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the former CEO of a real estate investment business with defrauding approximately 200 investors out of at least $46 million through an elaborate “Ponzi-like” scheme. In a parallel action the Department of Justice announced criminal charges in the matter.

President Donald Trump has vowed to end the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, drawing concerns and criticism from some lawmakers about the lack of details about how the administration plans on doing so and the potential impact to the mortgage market and the broader financial system.

Credit availability rose by 2.1 percent in May, based on the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). The MCAI is calculated by analyzing several factors related to borrower eligibility using data provided by ICE Mortgage Technology.