A handful of lenders continue to originate non-qualified mortgages while the major players in the market pause production.

Delinquencies on non-agency mortgages are likely to increase due to the coronavirus, with the largest impact expected on non-QMs.

Velocity Financial was increasing originations and income, then the coronavirus hit, halting issuance of a planned MBS and prompting the need for additional capital.

Investments in non-agency assets were offloaded by Annaly and MFA. Some of the loans sold by MFA were likely meant for a non-QM MBS that didn’t close in March.

The major producers of non-QMs suspended originations in March and, with the market paused, layoffs have started.

Non-agency loans account for about 30% of all residential mortgages outstanding and, unlike with servicing for the GSEs or government-insured mortgages, there’s no standardization in how servicers will respond to borrowers facing financial difficulties tied to the coronavirus.

As the financial impact of the coronavirus spreads, some lenders have suspended non-QM originations and others have repriced products.

After a surge in February, the issuance of non-agency MBS has all but ground to a halt due to financial turmoil caused by the coronavirus.

More trouble for Sterling: DOJ is now investigating the bank’s non-qualified-mortgage origination practices.

A focus on refis of agency loans prompted a decline in non-QM lending at Impac in 2019. The lender will focus on non-QMs (again) this year.