Sellers and homebuilders are increasingly reaching for an old mortgage tool to make their homes more attractive to potential buyers.

Will investors be interested in buying shares in a special purpose acquisition company that houses a bank/warehouse lender and assets put together by fintech guru Mike Cagney? Maybe in “normal times,” but we’re not operating in normal times.

The non-agency jumbo market saw a sharp 32% drop in originations during the third quarter, while agency securitization of high-balance loans was off 15% over the same period. (Includes three data charts.)

Private mortgage insurers benefit from recurring revenue from insurance-in-force, which makes declines in originations less problematic.

Although purchase-mortgage originations fell 12% from the second quarter, several lenders reported increased production in the third quarter. Nearly all top lenders saw hefty declines in refinance business in the third quarter. (Includes four data charts.)

Silvergate Bank has been in the news because of its crypto-finance-related business. But the depository is now in the process of trying to quietly pull out of warehouse lending. What’s going on? The bank isn’t talking.

Fannie and Freddie will soon be able to purchase mortgage loans in excess of $1 million.

Wells Fargo and housing finance trade groups expressed support for expanding access to streamlined refinances and easing barriers to forbearance options for financially struggling consumers.

Retail lending led the mortgage market to lower production volume in the third quarter as rates stayed stubbornly high and companies moved to cut overhead. (Includes six data charts.)

UWM is offering a one-year price break of up to 300 basis points for mortgage borrowers. A price war? That’s how some in the industry view it. Note: Price wars have been known to end badly.