Most mortgage lenders reported a significant uptick in purchase-mortgage originations during the third quarter of 2015, though there is little sign that originators are lowering credit standards to stimulate more business. According to revised estimates by Inside Mortgage Finance, purchase-mortgage originations climbed 10.7 percent from the second to the third quarter of this year, hitting $280 billion. At that level, the purchase market was the strongest it has been since the third quarter of 2007. At the same time, credit standards – at least in the agency market – have eased...[Includes two data tables]

First-time homebuyers are reportedly sitting on the sidelines and have dropped to their lowest levels in three decades, according to the National Association of Realtors. In its latest annual survey of buyers and sellers, NAR noted that the share of first-time buyers declined to 32 percent, from 33 percent a year ago and the lowest since first-time buyers spiraled down to 30 percent in 1987. But not so fast, says Edward Pinto, former chief credit officer of Fannie Mae and co-director and chief risk officer of the International Center on Housing Risk at the American Enterprise Institute, who disputes NAR’s data and describes the first-time buyer market as “booming.” “The buyers are...

For a sector that originates, at best, $5 billion a year, the fledgling subprime mortgage industry is garnering a bit of attention these days, though most investors do not publicize their interest. One nonprime executive who has received funding and spoke under the condition his name not be used described his suitors as hedge funds, private-equity firms and real estate investment trusts. He also mentioned “rich” individuals looking to put money to work. To date, the largest investment in a subprime/non-agency lender appears...

Fannie Mae last week updated its policies to allow seller/servicers to pledge a transfer of interest in their servicing income as collateral. Now Fannie, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae have three different approaches for the pledge of servicing income and/or servicing advances. David Fleig, president and CEO of MorVest Capital, an investment firm, noted that the update by Fannie follows a move by Ginnie. Last year, Ginnie started allowing issuers to pledge servicing income without notifying Ginnie. Fannie’s new policy requires...

Ellington Financial, a REIT that carries an 11.20 percent dividend and yield, has admitted to buying non-QM loans in past filings with the SEC, but has not racked up huge volumes...

G-fees were tapped in a recent highway transportation bill, but eventually the language was stripped from the measure…

So, whatever happened to Beach Point Capital’s $70 million subprime MBS? Sources contend the deal is very close with strong investor interest...

In percentage terms, the sharpest downturn was in home-equity ABS, although this sector represented just 1.6 percent of bank ABS investment and there has been no new production in years.

Monique Rollins, deputy assistant secretary for the Treasury Department’s Office of Capital Markets, said the Treasury supports industry-driven efforts.

Commercial banks and savings institutions continued to pull back from the non-mortgage ABS market during the third quarter of 2015, according to a new Inside MBS & ABS analysis of call-report data. Banks and thrifts reported a combined $140.93 billion of non-mortgage ABS on their books at the end of September, down 5.3 percent from midyear. The decline marked the seventh consecutive decline in bank ABS holdings since they peaked at $175.54 billion at the end of 2013. Bank ABS investment tumbled 15.0 percent in the year since September 2014, hitting its lowest level since the end of 2011. The industry’s holdings were down in all ABS categories. In percentage terms, the sharpest downturn was in home-equity ABS, although this ...