The agency purchase-mortgage market saw a higher share of first-time homebuyers in 2018 and increased reliance on conventional financing rather than government mortgage insurance. [Includes one data chart.]

The mortgage industry is bracing for a flat year in terms of volume due to higher mortgage rates, a slowing economy and weak loan demand. [Includes one data chart.]

Lenders that sell single-family mortgages to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac became slightly more daring in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to an exclusive new analysis by Inside Mortgage Trends. [Includes two data charts.]

Private mortgage insurers continued to expand their presence in the flow of purchase-money mortgages into mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. In 2018, lenders sold $243.54 billion of purchase loans with private MI coverage to Fannie and Freddie, a sturdy 13.8 percent rise from 2017, according to an Inside Mortgage Trends analysis. Private mortgage insurance accounted for 46.8 percent of agency ... [Includes two data charts]