Average home insurance premiums have risen in every state in the last decade largely due to the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, a study by LendingTree’s QuoteWizards found.

Loan workout applications on the whole have improved, though new servicer metrics introduced by Fitch in the third quarter are showing some disparity in completion rates.

Some lenders that were looking to throw in the towel after a rough first quarter experienced strong originations and returned to profitability as interest rates fell, putting the brakes on M&A activity.

Mortgage fintech lender Better.com plans to hire veterans and military spouses and recently closed on Series C funding. Other mortgage startups are also in a capital-raising mode.

Although residential loan production has been strong the past two quarters, mortgage hiring of new workers hasn’t exactly caught fire.

Banks left lending standards unchanged for most residential mortgages in the third quarter of 2019, even as demand rose significantly. Underwriting for commercial real estate loans stiffened.

In a recent filing, Fannie Mae made clear its displeasure with the pay caps placed on the company by the FHFA and Congress. Interestingly, Freddie Mac had a more muted response.

The Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points this week, assuring mortgage lenders strong operating conditions in the months ahead. Still, the production outlook is a bit darker for 2020.

Flagstar increased its servicing portfolio by about 50% on an annual basis as of the end of September while no other bank servicer in the top 20 posted double digit gains.

Government-insured reverse mortgage programs should offer simple and streamlined products in order to become more attractive to elder borrowers, according to the Brookings Institution.