Appraisal reduction amounts, which measure a new appraisal’s shortfall compared to the loan’s unpaid balance, are generally considered an indicator of expected losses.

The correspondent channel accounted for 40% of Wells’ originations in 2022, and the bank ranked third among all lenders in the channel. Still, some see Wells’ move as a positive step for the mortgage industry.

It’s been an ugly couple of months for crypto financier Silvergate Bank, an FDIC-insured institution. One casualty: its non-QM warehouse finance business.

It’s a safe bet that further job cuts are in the cards for most mortgage franchises. But is the worst of the personnel bloodletting over? That’s hard to say. The optimists out there are hoping for a stronger second half.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have a number of mortgage-related rulemakings in the works, according to their policy agendas.

With the high court declining Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac shareholders’ petition for a writ of certiorari, it’s hard to see what legal avenues are still open to these aggrieved investors.

Although race and ethnicity play a role in the cost of a mortgage, geography, education and loan type may be more important.

In the lame duck session, Congress managed to pass a spending bill with funding for FHA IT modernization. A separate bill updating standards for VA appraisals also made it to President Biden’s desk.

UWM chief Mat Ishbia is about to become the owner of an NBA team. Does he have enough money to make the grade? It certainly looks that way.

Divided leadership in Congress means bipartisanship will be required to get bills to President Biden’s desk. Not many mortgage-related bills are expected to make it that far in the next two years.