One originator of investor loans calls the profits “sweet,” though he’s not too sure why the FHFA did what it did.

The origination boom had to end sometime, but don’t reach for the hankies quite yet. Applications remain strong and no one’s going out of business, or so we’re told.

Besides overseeing HUD and keeping tabs on FHA and Ginnie Mae, Marcia Fudge has a new task: managing the White House’s latest initiative on appraisal inequities.

GSE reform garnered a slight mention in the White House budget document. Meaning? Draw your own conclusions.

The number of boarded-up, empty houses and buildings, or so-called zombie properties, in some stage of foreclosure jumped 21% this quarter, according to data vendor ATTOM.

Applications are down but not dramatically so. Also, UWM’s CEO sees opportunities in the M&A binge, namely the ability to recruit some top-flight talent who might be left without a home.

First-timer loans with private mortgage insurance slipped to 38.6% in the first quarter, down 9 basis points, while the share of FTHB loans with no MI was basically unchanged.

Overall, the average pre-tax production profit totaled 124 basis points in 1Q21 more than double the year ago reading of 61 bps. The 4Q20 measurement: 137 bps...