Mortgage industry groups continue to put pressure on the Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency to revisit the restrictions on the amount of loans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase.

The production tsunami continued apace in the first quarter but there’s evidence the waves are dying down.

Most lenders are confident non-QM lending will bounce back to pre-pandemic levels thanks to strong demand for purchase mortgages.

Even though any lender can request a waiver, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are being cautious in handing them out.

Economists tease out the intricate relationship between forbearance, unemployment rates, home prices and new for-sale listings.

At a Senate committee hearing this week, consumer advocates called for stronger enforcement, industry representatives picked on the CFPB and Republicans and Democrats pushed different priorities.

While alternative data and artificial intelligence in the underwriting process could help reduce lending bias, consumer advocates are calling for oversight.

Nonbanks accounted for a record 71.7% of the $965 billion of home loans produced by the top 100 lenders in the fourth quarter. (Includes two data charts.)

While the staggering $2.6 trillion of refinance originations in 2020 captured most of the industry's attention, the purchase-mortgage market also hit an annual record of $1.4 trillion. (Includes five data charts.)

Warehouse providers racked up $137.0 billion of commitments at year end, arming nonbanks with the credit they needed to make a record amount of new loans. A repeat performance in 2021? Probably not, but a good year nonetheless is expected. (Includes data chart.)