The rating service made a couple of issuer-friendly tweaks to its MBS loss model criteria proposed in June. The rating service, for the first time, will con-sider catastrophic risk when assessing loans.

Originations of non-agency jumbo mortgages increased in the second quarter, spurred by low interest rates. The sector gained market share and some lenders said pipelines were strong heading into 3Q19.

Several real estate investment trusts, including MFA Financial and Starwood Property Trust, are expanding their portfolio of non-qualified mortgages. The loans provide attractive returns, whether retained or bundled into an MBS.

Credit Suisse jumps into the non-QM MBS market, tapping a lender that previously contributed to MBS from Western Asset Management Company. JPMorgan Chase and PIMCO separately brought innovative deals.

Originations of non-QMs by Impac fell in the second quarter as the lender increased production of GSE refinances. However, officials at the nonbank stress that non-QMs remain an important part of Impac’s business.

Quicken increased its contributions to prime non-agency MBS this year, including $619 million of loans going into deals issued in the second quarter. Characteristics of the deals were largely unchanged.

Moody's proposes a new way of treating private MI for loans included in non-agency MBS; Angel Oak launches a pre-qualification tool; Sachem's earnings down in 2Q; more

Many applications for non-QMs don’t make it to closing due to documentation issues that could possibly have been easily addressed, according to an analysis by a due diligence provider.

The proposal to end the qualified mortgage patch available to loans eligible for sale to the GSEs could boost non-agency mortgage activity, though the devil is in the details as the plan plays out leading to early 2021.