Dive summary:

• Student loan debt is the second-biggest category of consumer debt after mortgages, and there is a growing concern that the size of the former may begin to inhibit the latter – which is hardly good news for builders trying to come back after the recession.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Board wants to bring non-bank lenders of student debt under its purview, saying its goal is to be sure consumer-protection rules are being followed and perhaps helping student borrowers that way.
• Graduates who are awash in loans and who sometimes have problems with the companies servicing their debt are poor candidates to take on mortgages and support demand for homes.

From the article:

"With the challenges they face in the current economic environment, they can be precluded or delayed in pursing other financial opportunities like getting a mortgage or saving for retirement." ...