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The House of Representatives is set to vote on the Financial Choice Act (H.R. 10) Thursday. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that the estimated federal deficits for the amended bill will be higher than originally estimated on May 4, 2017. Changes in direct spending and revenues would reduce federal deficits by $24.1 billion over the 2017-2027 period.

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.”

According to the second quarter Real Estate Sentiment Index, which polls industry professionals across the country to gain their unique insight about the future of the housing market, young people aged 26-30 are the number one demographic for first time home buyers. Their reasons? Financial investment and starting a family, which echoes past generations' reasons for becoming homeowners. Industry professionals are also confident in rising residential purchases, and in some states, price growth.

Monday Pamela Patenaude appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for her nomination hearing for Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Patenaude believes her history as the Assistant Deputy will set her up well for this position, if confirmed. The rumors of the intent to nominate Joseph Otting for the Comptroller of the Currency were also confirmed recently in a statement from President Trump.

For four months, the Department of the Treasury, GSEs, and Federal Housing Finance Agency have been in disagreement with Fannie and Freddie investors on where profits should be directed. Though the D.C. Circuit affirmed a lower court’s ruling that actions taken under the FHFA’s conservatorship of the GSEs cannot be challenged in court, the shareholders are now taking matters to the full D.C. Circuit for a rehearing. The FHFA and Treasury are now urging the D.C. Circuit not to modify its original ruling.

Generation X, aged 28-52, have a worse financial outlook than any other group. Having lost nearly half their wealth after the housing market collapse, over a third of Gen-Xers believe we are headed for an inevitable financial crisis in the near future. “For this reason, many are paying down their mortgages to reduce payments and guard against possible foreclosure in a downturn,” said one industry expert.

A Home Price Index (HPI) and HPI Forecast for April 2017 was released Tuesday showing home prices up both in year-over-year and month-over-month. Increased buying activity was paired with low mortgage rates, which were at their lowest since November 2016. Forecast data show more increases to come in 2018.

Ocwen Financial Corporation sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in late April claiming Ocwen had failed borrowers in every stage of the mortgage servicing process. Though the two went back and forth about getting the ruling on the CFPB’s constitutionality expedited, ultimately the request was denied. Ocwen's bid to test the constitutionality of the CFPB has now been delayed.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, in an interview with NPR, has attempted to clarify last month’s controversial comment that “poverty is a state of mind.” Carson has received extensive criticism from housing advocates and the media for his comment in what has been deemed insensitive in light of proposed budget cuts to the Secretary’s department. Carson defended his position by stating that while he did say that the way a person thinks is a factor in getting out of poverty, he did not say it was the only factor, or that simply wishing away poverty was enough to get a person out of it.

BlackRock Inc., along with 23 other investors of residential mortgage-backed securities, petitioned New York federal Judge Lorna G. Schofield to hear oral arguments to advance their case to class status as they seek to collect over $3 billion in lost assets from HSBC. The initial suit claims that HSBC did not do its due diligence in protecting certificate holders, and that they failed to ensure the home loans being sold from mortgage originators and sponsors to the trust were only selling debt from credit-worthy borrowers. The plaintiff’s claim that HSBC’s direct neglect was the cause of loses when default rates hit their peak during the housing crisis.