The volume of government purchase loans securitized into Ginnie Mae mortgage-backed securities grew in May for the third month in a row. Refi volume declined somewhat compared with April.

FHA’s share of the government-insured market declined to 60.8% in the first quarter of 2024, while VA production improved from the fourth quarter led by IRRRLs. (Includes three data tables.)

HUD issues guidance on mortgage advertising; UWM expands title services for brokers; Freedom issues debt; Incenter offers review services for taxes and insurance; most housing inventory in Florida, Texas.

The flow of refinance loans into the Ginnie MBS program dropped 9.2% in April. Still, year-to-date refi volume in the government-insured market was up a solid 54.4%. (Includes two data tables.)

Freedom Mortgage more than doubled its production from the fourth quarter to the first. Mike Patterson, COO of the nonbank, said the growth was driven by attractive loan characteristics.

Both the correspondent and broker channels increased their share of FHA and VA lending in 2023. (Includes data table.)

VA borrowers could stand a better chance when bidding for a home if the agency’s minimum property requirements are aligned with GSE standards, according to mortgage lenders.

Deliveries to the GSEs in January dropped to their lowest level since February 2023, with both purchase and refi volume down. (Includes two data tables.)

All lender types, except HFAs and credit unions, saw GSE deliveries decline in the fourth quarter. For HFAs, that meant a spike in market share, albeit from a low starting point. (Includes two data tables.)

FHA and VA lenders are gearing up for an uptick in purchase, refinance and renovation loans in the new year.