Housing markets

Low unemployment and the promise of millions of new jobs have some in the industry seeing a chance to increase membership and lending in the Lone Star State.

The Arizona-based CUSO returned $6.2 million in cash rewards to its credit union members for 2018.

The Washington-based credit union has set aside $1 million to help members with down payments for mortgages.

Popular TV shows about house fixers and flippers have sparked consumer interest in remodeling, creating an opportunity for lenders to build a specialty in renovation loans while traditional mortgage lending is weak.

Some big investors think the recent selloff in bank stocks is overdone; despite new ways to pay, credit cards still dominate.

Borrowers and financial institutions may be feeling the strain from reduced operations at the FHA and IRS, which has suspended the release of certain income documentation during the budget impasse.

The agencies are weighing a plan to reduce the scope of residential real estate transactions requiring an appraisal, but appraisers have warned that the proposal could have consequences.

The mortgage industry heads into 2019 with little relief from the market strains of the past three years. To succeed — or at least survive — lenders must confront major questions about demand, affordability and market consolidation.

The industry could see a boost in mortgage lending from regulatory changes, but other factors may slow growth.

The House Financial Services Committee held a hearing to examine the outgoing committee chairman's bipartisan GSE reform bill, but lawmakers were already looking ahead.

The process to confirm Mark Calabria as FHFA director could be lengthy, forcing the White House to consider how it will proceed with housing finance reform under Joseph Otting as acting head of the agency.

A proposal allowing more lenders to skip outside appraisals could remove a hurdle to quick closings, but appraisers say they could be collateral damage.

Loans to house flippers dropped 11% in the third quarter, indicating "possible turbulence;" the German bank may have allowed some clients to claim tax credits on stock they didn't own.

Home prices are rising and first-time buyers now account for an increasing share of sales, factors that could lead to a surge in defaults during the next economic downturn.

The Democrat, who will likely head the Financial Services Committee, has signaled she'll make expanded housing opportunities for lower-income consumers a top priority.

The sustained rise in home values will boost Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's loan limits for 2019, marking the second consecutive year in which it increased by nearly 7%.

The effort to raise the threshold for transactions excused from appraisal requirements responds to concerns that the current threshold is outpaced by real estate prices.

The end of one-party rule in Washington could move the needle on efforts to devise a new housing finance framework.

The Trump administration should consider putting much of the subsidized mortgage lending done by the federal government under the government-sponsored enterprises to improve efficiency and transparency.

Real estate and mortgage industry groups outspent proponents 3-to-1 to defeat Proposition 10, a measure to allow California municipalities to set local rent control laws.