Delinquencies and loan modifications on non-agency mortgages increased in May, but at a slower rate than the sharp increase in April. Delinquencies are much higher on non-QMs than jumbos.

Lenders in the non-QM sector are working to get back to the way things were before the coronavirus. Sprout has resumed correspondent lending while a number of lenders have loosened underwriting standards.

Wells Fargo is maintaining its steady issuance of prime non-agency MBS while a pending deal from Neuberger Berman is much larger than the expanded-credit MBS the firm issued in May.

The CFPB is hoping that by removing a firm debt-to-income ratio metric from QM qualification standards, lenders will come up with new techniques to qualify borrowers.

Under the proposal, some 147 smaller banks and credit unions won’t have to maintain an escrow account for higher-priced mortgage loans.

The proposal could eliminate GSE eligibility as a standard for a loan to be deemed a qualified mortgage. The regulator aims to level the playing field between the non-agency market and Fannie/Freddie.

Eleven expanded-credit MBS have been introduced since June 15, with a total unpaid principal balance of $3.4 billion.

A recent cash infusion will help MFA Financial revive its first ever non-QM MBS. The deal had been put on hold because of the pandemic.

Sales of non-QMs at distressed prices accounted for a large share of the nearly $65 million loss Impac took in the first quarter.

Interest-only loan production dropped nearly 25% in 1Q. Meanwhile, the share of IOs originated in areas vulnerable to storms is increasing. (Includes data chart.)