Gripes about mortgage applications hit a historical high, jumping 29.9% sequentially to 1,609 in 3Q20. The nine-month reading registered a stunning 124.6% spike year-over-year.
The deadline for potential competitors to submit their proposals was Sept. 15. However, that was just the first of four phases in the selection process established last year by the FHFA. The enterprises expect the process to take at least another year to complete.
The calculus is straightforward: With that much capital tied up in equity, it’s difficult to see how the GSEs could generate adequate returns to attract investors.
Moreover, the "back to the office" quandary became even more pertinent Monday morning, given the positive news surrounding the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.
Year-to-date issuance climbed to $2.468 trillion at the end of October and should top $3 trillion based on the current pace. As of this writing, there appears to be plenty of gas still left in the tank.