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6 | TH E M R EP O RT MTECH platform as a result of the 'lights-out' integration between LendingQB and IDS. Preview documents are displayed as a PDF, the same format in which the fi nal document package is delivered, but with a "SAMPLE" watermark, ensuring that the preview document cannot be mis- taken for the fi nal document. "Accurate generation of mortgage documents is really the primary goal of any LOS," said Tim Nguyen, President of LendingQB. "That is why the preview feature with IDS is so important. It provides our lenders with another tool to mitigate errors in the document-generation process, saving them a signifi - cant amount of time and money throughout the closing process and beyond. IDS has been a key partner of ours for several years, and we're happy to see them innovate in ways that provide tangible benefi ts to our mutual clients." ClosingCorp Introduces SmartEngine THE SOLUTION WILL ENABLE EASIER COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF RATE AND FEE DATA. C losingCorp, a provider of residential real estate closing cost data and technology for the mortgage and real estate services indus- tries, announced the release of SmartEngine, an advanced rate management solution that enables title organizations to collect and manage their specifi c rate and fee data. With this solution, title companies can centralize data processing and connect their rate and fee data to any third-party system, including title production systems, websites and Closing- Corp's SmartFees and SmartCalc products to reliably exchange information to produce estimates. "SmartEngine provides title companies and lenders of all sizes a streamlined solution that can optimize the closing cost quoting process and effectively leverage rate/fee," said Bob Jennings, CEO of ClosingCorp. SmartEngine enables companies to centralize disparate, often- outdated rate management tasks, including the administration of tables, templates, or other systems, and optimize the overall closing process. The software as a service (SaaS) solution was designed specifi cally for underwriters and title companies seeking to create and manage special lender pricing, as well as standard rates for lender use nationwide. This advanced rate and fee management solution also enables lenders to connect to their service providers and reli- ably exchange information in real time—improving speed, accuracy, and compliance with regulations, as well as their own internal processes. "We are committed to investing in and developing a best-in-class suite of products and services for our clients," Jennings said. FEATURE 26 | TH E M R EP O RT MCS Valuations is committed to providing the best possible service and most reliable value to our clients. Backed by industry-leading data and experts with decades of experience, MCS Valuations is your trusted resource for all of your valuation needs. 800.791.7145 | MCSVALUATIONS.COM | INFO@MCSVALUATIONS.COM | 350 HIGHLAND DRIVE | SUITE 100 | LEWISVILLE, TX | 75067 have been tremendous changes in political leadership in the White House, as well as in Congress. The White House will be very influential in where they try to strike that consensus. We have a change in committee members and leadership in the Senate. We have many staffers who helped negotiate the last round who have moved on to other things. There's a need for a lot of catching up and getting into the real, hard debate about the appropriate level of government involvement. In addition, ensuring that a reformed system will provide broad access to affordable mortgage credit will continue to be a very important element in the debate. That's why it's important for the new administration to make hous - ing finance reform an important priority right away by encouraging Congressional hearings, looking at lessons learned, and seeing where that sweet spot emerges. M // Why do you think housing and GSE reform have been such hot-button topics of discussion since Election Day? STEGMAN // There are a number of people who have been associ- ated with the transition, and that now includes Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin, who come into this process with strong feelings that eight years of a conservator- ship is long enough and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ought to be in private hands. I don't think any of us, no mat- ter what side of the aisle we sit on, can deny that the conservatorship has lasted too long. Mnuchin has stated that, given his background in mortgage finance, he believes that decisions about allocating credit and making credit decisions should be in the hands of those who originate and make mortgage loans, and not the government, so fixing this problem is a high prior - ity. I think that's good, but I also think it will take some time for the new team to figure out what the right course is and how to get broad-based congressional buy-in to ending the conservatorship. Part of the reason for my saying that I think a bipartisan solution is necessary is that, while we might all believe that the conservatorship has lasted way too long, there are many stakeholders out there who think that, from the standpoint of affordable housing, the status quo may be better than any legisla - tive outcome they might expect to achieve. Consequently, if the Trump Administration doesn't seek a bipartisan approach to housing finance reform, it is likely that any legislative measure that doesn't adequately address broad access will be blocked in the Senate because you'll still need a 60-vote majority. Presidential leadership is critically important but a bipartisan approach is of equal importance. BRIAN HONEA'S writing and editing career spans nearly two decades across many forms of media. He served as sports editor for two suburban newspaper chains in the DFW area and has freelanced for such publications as the Yahoo! Contributor Network, Dallas Home Improvement magazine, and the Dallas Morning News. He has written four non-fiction sports books, the latest of which, The Life of Coach Chuck Curtis, was published by the TCU Press. A lifelong Texan, Honea received his master's degree from Amberton University in Garland. Honea is the online editor of theMReport.com.

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