Redwood Trust can now acquire jumbo mortgages of up to $1.5 million from members of the Federal Home Loan Banks under the Mortgage Partnership Finance Direct program. That’s more than double the previous limit – $729,750 – and will significantly expand the pool of potential mortgages that Redwood will acquire. Previously, MPF Direct targeted the narrow range of loans with balances between $625,500, which is the current high-cost conforming loan limit, and ...

Lenders offering nonprime loans that do not meet the qualified-mortgage standard have run into difficulties generating volume because weak secondary-market demand has made pricing on the loans unattractive to borrowers. Jeff Lemieux, until recently a vice president at Bayview Asset Management, said volume in nonprime non-QMs is extremely weak across the industry. “The consumer is resistant to the pricing,” he said. Lemieux said credit-impaired borrowers feel that ...

Originations of adjustable-rate mortgages declined in the first quarter of 2015 as interest rate trends continued to incentivize many borrowers to select fixed-rate mortgages. Some $41.0 billion in ARMs were originated in the first three months of 2015, according to estimates by Inside Nonconforming Markets, down 10.9 percent from the previous quarter and down 6.8 percent from the first quarter of 2014. Many of the mortgages are ... [Includes one data chart]

So where is the non-QM business going? Unless, you’re talking non-QM jumbos, it’s safe to say nowhere fast...

Securitization rates for newly originated home mortgages remained at historically low levels during the first quarter of 2015, according to a new Inside MBS & ABS market analysis. The ratio of new MBS issuance to primary-market mortgage originations was just 71.6 percent during the first quarter. That’s down from 75.4 percent for all of last year and the record high of 88.8 percent back in 2009. The slowdown in securitization rates is...[Includes one data table]

Following a four-month trial and nine days of deliberations, a New York jury acquitted Abacus and two of its senior officers...

Some 90 lenders contributed mortgages to the Redwood MBS, led by First Republic Bank with an 11.7 percent share.

Lenders provided a few constructive suggestions while voicing frustration regarding state regulators’ data collection efforts.

The slowdown in securitization is partly due to the lag between origination and MBS issuance, but there are other factors not related to timing...

Lenders pushed back against state regulators that are considering changes to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry licensing forms and the Mortgage Call Report. The State Regulatory Registry, which operates nationwide systems for state regulators, received a total of 11 comments from individuals and organizations regarding a proposal issued in May. Lenders provided a few constructive suggestions along with voicing frustration regarding state regulators’ data collection efforts. Pete Mills, a senior vice president of residential policy and member services at the Mortgage Bankers Association, urged...