Daily Dose

Fifty-six percent of renters feel that now is a good time to buy a home, which is down from 57 percent last quarter, and down even further from 62 percent a year ago. Comparatively, 80 percent of homeowners feel now is a good time to buy.

Monthly index leveled off nationally in January but grew over the year. No regions in decline for the first time since October. Mountain and Pacific values were January’s strongest.

One of the world’s top rating agencies warned that sweeping or high-level changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could unleash a host of unintended consequences.

The goal of a recent Committee on Financial Regulations hearing was “examine the unconstitutional structure of the CFPB and how it has yielded unaccountability to Congress and the executive branch.” Additionally, the committee looked at ways in which the bureau may be restructured in order to make the Bureau more Constitutional and more accountable.

Although profits for processing loans dropped, mortgage lenders with servicing portfolios benefited from higher net servicing financial income in the fourth quarter of 2016 due to increases in the valuation of their mortgage servicing rights. This event was driven by rising interest rates. However, reduced profitability on the production side of the business generally outweighed servicing gains.

Despite rising interest rates, real estate sales are brisk, limited only by the supply of available listings. Demand from millennials and first-time homebuyers remains robust. Economist says this has resulted in a shrinking underperformance gap.

As risk is reduced, CoreLogic indicates that home prices have continued to rise. Previously, the CoreLogic Home Price Index (HPI) showed nationwide sales, including distressed sales, jumped 6.9 percent year over year and 0.7 percent month-over-month. Mortgage rates have continued to rise as well, and are anticipated to continue to rise during 2017.

People are living longer and spending more time in the city, a report by the Milken Institute says. The Institute’s report evaluates 381 U.S. metropolitan areas to determine how well they serve the needs of the nation’s growing population of mature adults, and its Mayor’s Pledge encourages mayors and other public officials to support a healthy environment for aging residents, and nearly 200 mayors have signed the pledge.

Unmet credit demands of U.S. consumers are partially caused by reluctance of some to even apply for credit. Survey reveals that consumers are generally more pessimistic of future approval rates, influenced by the increase in involuntary account closures. These rose to their highest level since October 2015.

The Financial Choice Act would give regional and community banks a way to avoid most aspects of Dodd-Frank regulations, and a policy which would force big bank’s parent companies to file bankruptcy and restructure, instead of the current Dodd-Frank policy.