The CFPB received numerous comments on its plan to adjust standards for qualified mortgages. However, industry stakeholders are divided on what steps the bureau should take.

Lenders reported a sharp increase in new home-equity lending in the second quarter, but the supply of home-equity debt outstanding continued to fall.

Recently released data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act included 28 new fields, such as business-purpose lending, interest-only features and credit score models.

Closed-end home-equity lending is expected to increase this year but the rise won't be enough to offset the likely decline in HELOC production.

Private MIs and Freddie Mac posted relatively larger gains in first-time buyer business during the second quarter, though the government-insured market was still the biggest source of such loans.

When originations boom, warehouse banks clean up. In the second quarter commitment authority to nonbanks increased by 13.5% overall but usage rates are nearing 70%.

While several industry participants want the CFPB to choose the spread-at-origination metric to determine QM status, Redwood Trust favors using the DTI ratio.

Will the third quarter be better than the second for originators? Looks that way. Meanwhile, mortgage M&A advisor Houlihan Lokey might wind up as one of Treasury's GSE advisors.

 

Low-downpayment mortgages remain at the core of financing for first-time homebuyers, who continue to move away from FHA and VA programs to-ward conventional home loans.

Federal regulators are moving closer to allowing more residential mortgages to be originated without appraisals.