Issuance of prime non-agency mortgage-backed securities will increase next year, according to predictions from various industry analysts. Some see a gradual increase while analysts at Kroll Bond Rating Agency said volume could double when including so-called expanded-prime MBS. Kroll said prime non-agency MBS issuance could hit nearly $20.0 billion in 2018. “Assuming that spread tightening across structured finance remains at or near current levels, execution may continue to favor ...

The correspondent share of jumbo originations has risen in the past year while the retail share declined, according to a new analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. The survey found that correspondent production accounted for 18.1 percent of jumbo originations in the third quarter of 2017, up from a 14.3 percent share in the third quarter of 2016. During that time, the retail share of the lenders’ jumbo production fell from 81.3 percent to ... [Includes one data chart]

Some 55.2 percent of the loans in JPMorgan Chase’s forthcoming $883.8 million non-agency mortgage-backed security will be eligible for sale to the government-sponsored enterprises. Chase has included conforming mortgages in previous non-agency MBS but usually in smaller amounts. The GSE-eligible mortgages were largely originated by Chase, along with some contributions from loanDepot. The GSE-eligible mortgages have an average balance of $536,992 ...

Holdings of residential first-lien mortgages by banks and thrifts increased again in the third quarter of 2017, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets. Banks and thrifts held first liens with a total unpaid principal balance of $1.99 trillion as of the end of the third quarter, up 1.1 percent from the previous quarter and a 3.3 percent increase from a year ago. First-lien holdings are dominated by three big banks: Wells Fargo ... [Includes one data chart]

Significant investments in new non-agency whole loans are paying off, according to officials at Annaly Capital Management. The real estate investment trust started buying the loans in the second half of 2016 after acquiring Hatteras Financial. As of the end of the third quarter, Annaly held non-agency whole loans with an unpaid principal balance of $896.0 million. Whole loans accounted for 28.0 percent of Annaly’s residential credit portfolio as of the end of September, up from a ...

The amount of home-equity debt outstanding continued its years-long slide during the third quar-ter, and many top lenders reported slowing production of new loans, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside Mortgage Finance.

A handful of real estate investment trusts are looking to partner with nonprime lenders in a move that could help prime the pump for a significant increase in securitizations of non-agency mortgages that stretch the credit box.

After declining for two consecutive quarters, the delinquency rate on jumbo mortgages increased in the third quarter of 2017, according to Black Knight. Hurricanes contributed to the uptick in delinquencies, and performance in the jumbo market remains strong overall. The delinquency rate on non-agency jumbo mortgages was 1.60 percent as of the end of September, according to Black Knight. That was up from 1.49 percent in the previous quarter ... [Includes one data chart]

Redwood Trust is looking to expand its footprint into funding originations by nonbanks as well as putting a greater emphasis on acquiring investment-property mortgages. The strategy announced this week was detailed one day after Redwood revealed that its CEO will retire in May. Officials said changes in the housing market have created opportunities for the real estate investment trust to “leverage our competitive strengths and expand our strategic mission.” They said funding ...

The conforming loan limit will increase again in 2018, prompting some pushback from supporters of the non-agency market. The conforming loan limit for one-unit properties in 2018 will be $453,100, up 6.8 percent from the current limit. For high-cost areas, the loan limit will be as high as $679,650 in 2018, up from $636,150 this year. The limits apply to acquisitions of mortgages by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and annual adjustments are based on a house-price index ...