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Mortgage rates remained fairly steady this week, even as the Financial Open Market Committee met to discuss potential hikes in the federal funds rate. These low rates may not stay for long, however. Reports found that the rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has stayed flat, but experts noted that the Fed's "half-full" economic outlook may mean rates will rise again at some point this year.

Alitsource Portfolio Solutions, a mortgage and real estate technology provider, announced today that its Vendorly platform, which manages vendor oversight for financial institutions, is now available to all across the market. Previously, Vendorly was only available to members of the Lenders One Cooperative, a national alliance of independent mortgage professionals.

Factual Data, a Loveland, Colorado-based company providing mortgage credit and verification services to mortgage lenders, announced this week 4506-T IRS tax transcript verification services through Fannie Mae’s Desktop Underwriter, part of the GSE’s Day 1 Certainty program.

CBCInnovis, a Columbus, Ohio-based mortgage credit and data validation services provider, announced this week it is now an “authorized report supplier” for Fannie Mae’s Day 1 Certainty program.

DataVerify, a risk mitigation, data verification, and decision management provider for the mortgage industry, announced this week it is now an “authorized report supplier” for Fannie Mae’s Day 1 Certainty program, which exempts lenders from representations and warranties and helps expedite the lending process.

Mortgage applications decreased from a week earlier, according to a recent survey. This is a substantial difference compared to last week, when applications rose 2.7 percent. Refinances had increased 7 percent that week, as well, but fell 5 percent this week.

Despite sluggish economic growth in Q1 and the widely held assumption that the Fed would raise rates at least two more times this year, the Federal Open Market Committee opted to keep the federal funds rate as is at its May meeting. Raised in March, the rate currently sits at 1 percent. The Committee cited job gains and lower unemployment as factors in its decision.

According to recent data, St. Louis is the ideal spot for millennial homebuyers, boasting a short commute time and good local schools. Parts of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, took the No. 2 and 3 spots, while Milwaukee was deemed the best place for millennial renters.

According to the enterprise’s recent financial results, Freddie Mac posted a net income of $2.2 billion for Q1 and will pay as much in dividends to the U.S. Treasury. The income is lower than Q4 2016, as are the agency’s single-family revenues, purchase volumes, and mortgage-related investments. Freddie attributed these declines to largely steady interest rates and low market spreads.

The House Financial Services Committee held a second hearing on the Financial CHOICE Act on Tuesday. Intended to be a replacement for Dodd-Frank, the CHOICE Act aims to increase regulator accountability, discourage financial fraud and insider trading, and ensure taxpayers aren't on the hook for big bank bailouts. The Act was introduced by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas).