Originations of jumbo mortgages were strong in the second quarter, with the sector gaining market share, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. An estimated $80.0 billion of non-agency jumbos were originated in the second quarter, up 33.3 percent from the previous period. Total first-lien production increased by 17.1 percent in that span. Non-agency jumbos accounted for 18.0 percent of total originations in the second quarter ... [Includes one data chart]

Aggregators of jumbo mortgages have seen margins on their business decline as competition increases for the loans. Redwood Trust had $9.0 million in net income from its residential mortgage banking segment in the second quarter of 2018, down from $21.0 million in the previous period. Officials said the decline was due to lower margins during the second quarter. The real estate investment trust didn’t disclose specific figures other than to note that during the second quarter ...

The $395.8 million nonprime mortgage-backed security Angel Oak Capital Advisors closed this week was met with strong demand from investors, according to the firm. “We believe that, relative to other recent [non-qualified mortgage] transactions, the tight pricing of AOMT 2018-3 demonstrates that investors have the confidence in and demand for the Angel Oak securitization program,” said Lauren Hedvat, a managing director of capital markets at Angel Oak. Pricing spreads ...

Starwood Property Trust plans to be a regular issuer of mortgage-backed securities backed by non-qualified mortgages after successfully closing its first deal this week. Loans in the $374.1 million issuance were sourced from Impac Mortgage Holdings, which is working to increase non-QM production, delivering the loans to Starwood and potentially other outlets. Jeffrey DiModica, president of Starwood Property Trust, said the real estate investment trust expects to be a “frequent issuer” ...

Ellington Financial could issue its second mortgage-backed security backed by non-qualified mortgages before yearend, according to officials at the nonbank. “We are nearing critical mass of product for a follow-on securitization and plan for that later this year, subject, of course, to market conditions,” said Laurence Penn, Ellington’s CEO and president. At the end of the June, Ellington held $150.2 million of non-QMs. Mark Tecotzky, co-CIO at Ellington, noted that the firm is increasing ...

Mortgage lenders became slightly more daring in terms of the credit characteristics of the loans they sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac during the second quarter of 2018, according to an exclusive new Inside Mortgage Trends analysis and ranking. [Includes two data charts.]

Secondary market trading for home-equity loans has increased across most market segments, thanks to greater available supply driven by higher prices, according to a new report from MountainView Financial Solutions, a Denver-based provider of financial services analytics and advisory services.

The majority of loans in expanded-credit mortgage-backed securities are adjustable-rate mortgages, while such loans are few and far between in prime non-agency MBS, according to a new analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. [Includes one data chart.]

The government-sponsored enterprises’ holdings of vintage nonprime mortgages continued a gradual decline during the second quarter of 2018, according to a new analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. [Includes one data chart.]

A handful of banks account for a large share of the loans in prime non-agency mortgage-backed securities issued since the start of 2017, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. Banks were four of the top five originators of securitized prime mortgages between January 2017 and June 2018. More precisely, these banks ranked among the top known sources of collateral for these deals. In fact, the name of the originator was ... [Includes two data charts]