Originations of jumbo mortgages increased in the third quarter of 2017 compared with the previous period, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. But through nine months of the year, production was down compared with 2016 and the sector is losing market share as a handful of major lenders are seeing significant declines in their jumbo production. Demand for jumbo mortgages has declined somewhat, according to lenders ... [Includes one data chart]
Correspondent originators and mortgage brokers saw the biggest increase in production during the third quarter of 2017, although retail lending was still the dominant channel, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Mortgage Finance.
Originations of so-called expanded-credit mortgages among a group of 15 lenders were essentially level in the third quarter of 2017 compared with the previous quarter, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. The lenders had a total of $10.61 billion of expanded-credit volume in the third quarter, up 1.7 percent from the previous quarter. Expanded-credit loans include non-qualified mortgages, nonprime mortgages ... [Includes one data chart]
Flagstar Bank has announced a new loan program that will benefit cash-strapped borrowers in low- and moderate-income communities who want to purchase a house.
FHA single-family endorsements rose 2.0 percent in the third quarter from the prior quarter as more borrowers took out purchase loans and nonbanks remained in control of the market during the period. The FHA endorsed $62.1 billion of forward mortgages during the third quarter, which brought total production over the first nine months of 2017 to $182.7 billion (excluding reverse mortgages), a 2.5 percent decline from 2016. Fixed-rate loans continued to comprise nearly all of FHA’s business. Adjustable-rate endorsements totaled $935.3 million for the first nine months of 2017, up from $701.7 million a year ago. FHA purchase activity was up 4.4 percent to $48.5 billion in the third quarter while annual volume increased 2.6 percent from 2016. Purchase loans accounted for 73.6 percent of total FHA endorsements for the nine-month period. Of the $182.7 billion of FHA loans endorsed during the ... [Charts]
Any chance of a mortgage-insurance premium reduction in the near future has dimmed in the wake of an actuarial report placing the FHA insurance fund on shakier ground at the end of FY 2017. One clear thing from the report released on Nov. 15 was that FHA’s flagship single-family home mortgage program continued to grow stronger with an economic net worth of $38.4 billion in fiscal 2017. In contrast, problems persisted in the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage portfolio, driving the program’s economic value down by another $6 billion to negative $14.5 billion. The drag HECM losses inflicted on the MMIF has renewed calls to separate the ailing portfolio from the fund, which can only be accomplished by legislation. Right now, the reverse mortgage issue is not even on Congress’ legislative agenda. HECM losses also caused the fund’s economic net worth and capital reserve ratio to decline in fiscal year ...
The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have issued a joint warning to servicemembers and veterans about VA refinancing offers that sound too good to be true. There is a good chance that borrowers with a VA loan have already received unsolicited offers to refinance their mortgages even just months after closing, the agencies said in their first “warning order” (WARNO). Many of these refi solicitations promise extremely low rates, thousands of dollars in cash back, skipped mortgage payments, no out-of-pocket costs and no waiting period, the agencies noted. The VA and the CFPB said lenders offering VA refinances may use aggressive and potentially misleading advertising and sales tactics. “Lenders may advertise a rate just to get you to respond or you may receive a VA mortgage refi offer that provides limited benefit to you while adding thousands of dollars to your loan balance,” the agencies warned. Even though the VA prohibits a lender from advertising skip payments on ...