A handful of real estate investment trusts acquired non-QMs at a discount as interest rates increased during the first quarter. Lenders selling the loans took some losses but appear to have weathered the storm.

MFA Financial took a large loss in the first quarter as rising interest rates reduced the value of non-QMs on the REIT’s balance sheet. Lima One, a business-purpose lender now owned by MFA, was a bright spot.

Barclays sourced many of the mortgages in the MBS from Invigorate Finance, an aggregator founded in March 2021.

Originations at Velocity Financial increased in the first quarter despite an increase in interest rates. The lender’s income declined, though much of the drift was tied to a refi of corporate debt that could be beneficial in the long term.

The exchange that connects lenders with non-agency investors will facilitate sales of debt service coverage ratio loans for investment properties.

LendSure launches prime jumbo offering; online marketplace Morty offers jumbos; Point completes Series C funding round; Sachem Capital’s earnings and originations flat in first quarter.

Loans that received an Automated Collateral Evaluation waiver had 9% fewer defaults than similar loans that didn’t, according to Freddie economists.

The rejection rate on applications for non-agency jumbo mortgages declined for both purchase mortgages and refis in 2021. One top lender had a denial rate of less than 1.0%. (Includes data chart.)

Arch Mortgage Funding quietly acquired a small number of jumbo mortgages last year and expanded into acquisitions of non-QMs this month. Prior to the non-QM announcement, Arch Capital Group said little about the conduit.

Annaly Capital Management is working to increase its aggregation of non-agency mortgages. The company generated returns in the mid-teens from the activity in the first quarter.