The credit window for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac single-family mortgages opened a little wider during the third quarter of 2018 as competition intensified in the primary market. A new Inside Mortgage Trends analysis of mortgage-backed securities issued by the government-sponsored enterprises during the third quarter revealed modest increases in the shares of purchase mortgages with low credit scores, although trends in loan-to-value ratios were mixed ... [Includes two data charts]
PennyMac Financial Services is turning profits, increasing originations, acquiring servicing and looking to grow market share while other lenders are faltering under increased competitive pressure.
Lenders that predominantly originate purchase mortgages might have been better prepared for the shift away from refinances but they’re not immune to the tighter margins that have accompanied increased competition for volume in recent months.
The modest decline in total first-lien mortgage originations during the third quarter affected most sectors of the market, but it hit a little harder at the prime-jumbo space, according to an exclusive new Inside Mortgage Finance analysis. (Includes two data charts.)
Redwood CEO Chris Abate: “Our game plan in the third quarter was a bit unconventional – we ran an up-tempo offense, squarely in the face of mortgage market headwinds.”