Lenders would be more willing to offer non-qualified mortgages if federal regulators established a “regulatory sandbox,” according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. David Stevens, president and CEO of the MBA, made the suggestion in a letter to the Treasury Department last week. He described the concept as a space where businesses can test innovative products and processes without risk of regulatory consequences from noncompliance. Stevens said a sandbox would be ...

Nonbank wholesale lenders rolled out a variety of non-agency products in recent weeks, including prime jumbo mortgages, non-qualified mortgages and nonprime offerings. Newfi Lending launched Sequoia Porfolio Plus, a program where all underwriting and exceptions are handled in-house. Steve Abreu, Newfi’s CEO, said the new offering combines “the best of jumbo and non-traditional borrowing options.” The program allows for loan amounts of up to $2.0 million, credit scores ...

Bill Ashmore, the former president of Impac Mortgage Holdings, is trying to raise money for a new venture that will focus on non-qualified mortgages. Ocwen Financial forgave approximately $857 million in mortgage debt in 2017, according to the firm. Since the beginning of 2008, the servicer has completed more than $18.5 billion of principal forgiveness via loan modifications, largely on non-agency mortgages. Velocity Commercial Capital is set to ... [Includes three briefs]

The loans in Chase's new MBS have an average balance of $527,877.

The idea is to offer “a space where businesses can test innovative products and processes without risk of regulatory consequences,” according to the Mortgage Bankers Association…

Charges were also filed against Paul Menefee, the former head banker of Barclays’ subprime MBS unit...

Newfi Lending has rolled out a new non-agency jumbo loan program for its wholesale mortgage broker partners aimed at high-asset borrowers who are difficult to qualify. The program, Sequoia Portfolio Plus, is designed as a go-to alternative for creditworthy borrowers who could not qualify for conventional jumbo loans due to a less-than-stellar credit history. Sequoia combines the best of jumbo and nontraditional borrowing options, explained Newfi CEO Steve Abreu ...

Moody’s noted that if the provision becomes law, small banks won’t have to meet certain documentation requirements included in the CFPB’s ability-to-repay rule…

Several lenders now provide financing to this unique niche and more might join the party as 2018 progresses.

It’s not as though some Congressman or Senator is about to introduce consensus GSE legislation...