A report from The Plains Dealer in Ohio. "JPMorgan Chase has continued to cut jobs nationwide in mortgage lending, eliminating 400 jobs last week, including at least 20 in downtown Cleveland. The nationwide cuts, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, were confirmed today by Chase spokeswoman Carlene Lule. She called it a 'very small reduction in Chase's home lending division last week,' affecting less than 3 percent of the mortgage division's total employment in Columbus, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Florida; and Phoenix."

"U.S. Bank in July started shutting down its Bedford mortgage office, eliminating 260 jobs. That location at Rockside Road near Broadway Avenue is closing permanently, U.S. Bank said."

"Last year, New York Community Bank, the parent of Ohio Savings, cut 210 mortgage-related jobs from its Cleveland headquarters at 1801 E. 9th St. in Cleveland after it sold its mortgage business to Freedom Mortgage of New York. Also eliminated were 14 jobs in Brooklyn."

From Inman News. "This month, the steady rise in interest rates has negatively impacted investor sentiment. So, how are real estate’s biggest companies positioned with a potential correction on the horizon?"

"Zillow has been relatively quiet since its acquisition of Mortgage Lenders of America on Aug. 6, which sliced the company’s market cap by $1.6B the next day. Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff said the drop in market cap and share values was 'due to lowered guidance' for one of the company’s four marketplaces. But investors told another story, saying that said the integration of Mortgage Lenders of America alongside the company’s iBuyer moves posed too much risk for 2019."

"'Investors … don’t want an interest-rate-sensitive company that owns homes; they bought Zillow because it’s a high-margin, asset-light online real estate play with a fabulous multi-year growth story,' said CNBC’s Jim Cramer. 'In short, it’s not what the shareholder base signed up for.'"

"Much of the news from Redfin over the past month has focused on the launch of a new price estimate tool for off-market homes, continued expansion efforts for Redfin Mortgage, and a controversy surrounding the accuracy of Redfin Estimate after sudden, dramatic price hikes. Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman did lower the company’s Q3 forecast, citing 'slowing traffic growth in a weakening real-estate market.'"

From Atlanta Agent Magazine. "We recently sat down with three lending professionals to hear their thoughts on the current housing market, challenges in the industry and how to improve the lending process for homebuyers in the future. What are your thoughts on the current status of the mortgage industry?"

"Holly Walther, branch manager, Holly Walther & Team, Success Mortgage Partners: 'I believe that we are currently in an over saturated market. Every day more companies are moving into the mortgage business, increasing competition, lowering returns and diminishing customer service.'"

"Mortgage interest rates remain relatively low, but there has been a recent rise and some experts say it could continue to increase. What are you projecting?"

"Josh Moffitt, CEO, Silverton Mortgage Specialists: 'I think the overall thought is that interest rates will continue to slightly rise as we move through 2018 and 2019. So as homes rise and rates rise along with them, that does add pressure. But, as long as you have a wage increase to go along with it, then it should work out okay.'"

From WBAL TV in Maryland. "Some residents of a neighborhood in Owings Mills are fed up with a vacant house, so they contacted the 11 News I-Team. No one wants to live on a street with vacant houses, which can bring down property values and attract squatters. David Redd, a member of the Lyons Manor Architectural Committee, and other residents are fed up with a vacant house in their neighborhood."

"'That house has been vacant for years -- not months, years,' Redd said."

"Arron Moore, the president of the Lyons Manor Homeowner's Association, said he has watched 9909 Linden Hill Road sit vacant since 2011 after one of the owners died. Eventually, the property went into foreclosure and has been in the name of Bank of America since June 2015."

"Even though the property is groomed in a recorded video, it has been in violation of the homeowner's association many times for overgrown weeds and high grass. Crews came out to cut the grass. But that's not all."

"'Some of the siding and some of the property -- the wood -- needs to be repaired, and it's just not being repaired. Bank of America is not doing anything,' Redd said. Bank of America told the 11 News I-Team that it spent $40,000 on repairs to the property, but they ran into delays because of squatters. A second set of squatters was evicted in July."

"Bank of America said it will take another $20,000 to complete additional work for the house to be in a condition where they can convey it back to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, since it was secured with an FHA loan. After that, HUD will market the property and sell it to new owners."