The U.S. economy roared to life to start the year, as a government report found that gross domestic product climbed by an annualized 6.4% in the first quarter. So reports CNBC.

In mortgage banking, it is commonplace for originators to adopt the practices of successful producers. If one salesperson rises at 4:00 a.m., everyone else feels they must follow suit. If a top producer is active on LinkedIn, other originators will incorporate the platform into their own marketing strategies. Likewise, lenders are copycats too. If a competitor pays 100 basis points, a lender will compensate the same amount even if the firm’s value proposition is different. The list goes on. Herd mentality is prevalent in our industry at every level.

Overseas investors have started joining forces with housing companies to buy or build thousands of single-family rental homes in the U.S. suburbs. So reports Dow Jones.