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While much buzz has been surrounding the presumed passing of the Financial Choice Act (H.R. 10), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan analysis for the U.S. Congress, released the budgetary effects of enacting the amended bill Tuesday. The original CBO estimate, released May 4, 2017, said enacting the legislation would reduce federal deficits by $24.1 billion over the 2017-2027 period, but the recalculated estimate said budget deficits would be significantly more than originally estimated. The House of Representatives is set to vote on the bill Thursday.

A new report shows that most millennials believe now is a good time to buy a home—and more than half of them are actually ready to take the plunge. About 51 percent of those surveyed said they are either extremely likely or very likely to buy within the next year. According to experts, impending mortgage rate hikes are likely causing the uptick in urgency. Still, roadblocks like scarce inventory and a lack of knowledge around the homebuying process could pose a problem for millennials.

A Purchase Sentiment Index was released Wednesday by Fannie Mae based on answers to six NHS questions that solicit consumers’ evaluations of housing market conditions and address topics that are related to their home purchase decisions. The index ultimately reports on whether consumers think it is a good or bad time to buy or sell a house, what direction they expect home prices and mortgage interest rates to move, how concerned they are about losing their jobs and whether their incomes are higher than they were a year earlier. Findings show patterns only seen twice in the surveys history.

According to a new study from the CFPB, consumers in lower-income parts of the country are more likely to establish credit history through negative means, like debt collection or public records. About 27 percent of low-income area consumers establish their history through what are called “non-loans,” while just 7.9 percent of consumers in high-income areas establish credit via non-loans. The study found that consumers in higher-income areas more commonly establish credit with a credit card or through co-borrowing.

According to a recent ranking published on Tuesday, secondary homes—particularly on the waterfront—may be more affordable than most homeowners believed. That is, if they know where to look. Florida, New Jersey, and Texas are great places to start searching.

Tom Stover has recently been promoted to CSO at DIMONT, a provider of specialty insurance and loan administration services to the residential and commercial mortgage industries. Denis Brosnan, President and CEO of DIMONT, said, “Tom’s promotion is in recognition of his continuing contributions to DIMONT, and his proven ability to develop innovative solutions.”

The 2017 Quarterly Mortgage Bankers Performance Report for Q1 was released on Tuesday and reported that independent mortgage banks were having a rough start in the first quarter of 2017. Per loan, gains and production costs are down, resulting in lower net profits. Q1 was also a record breaking quarter for two statistics since its inception in 2008.

Blockchain is a big buzzword in technology right now. But when Jason Nadeau talks to customers, it quickly becomes clear that many people don’t fully understand what blockchain is—or how to use it. To help shed some light on what you really need to focus on as you consider the adoption of a blockchain strategy for the coming year, review these three points.

Pamela Patenaude, current President of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America’s Families, appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for her nomination hearing Tuesday. If confirmed for Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Patenaude pledged to ensure that HUD’s programs are responsive to the housing needs of U.S. citizens. President Trump confirmed rumors of Joseph Otting’s intended nomination for the Comptroller of the Currency.

In February, the D.C. Circuit panel gave the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) a win over the allocation of profits from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to the Treasury. This affirmed a lower court’s ruling that actions taken under the FHFA’s conservatorship of the GSEs cannot be challenged in court, however Fannie and Freddie shareholders sued the two for agreeing to the deal. Now, the FHFA and Treasury are urging the D.C. Circuit not to modify its ruling.