Originations in the primary market are up, but not exactly flourishing. That’s so-so news for warehouse banks who — like everyone else — are waiting for interest rates to decline more dramatically. (Includes data table.)

In response to deregulatory efforts by the Trump administration, the MBA and ABA suggested ways to boost bank mortgage activity.

Hearing scheduled for May 16 to analyze massive layoffs at CFPB; Fannie economists slightly lower forecast for mortgage rates; Horizon Bank sells warehouse unit for a profit.

Warehouse commitment levels are on the rise, a sign — perhaps — of better days ahead. Meanwhile, JPMorgan continues to dominate the space. (Includes data table.)

The annual increase in conforming loan limits creates a natural experiment for economists to examine how competition from nonbanks influences the operations of depositories.

For hours, it was unclear whether a White House memo freezing federal funding would impact mortgage programs. In the meantime, government agencies announced that their single-family mortgage programs were unaffected by the planned funding pause.

If past is prologue, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s plan to hire as many as 141 employees may only be aspirational.

The former Freddie executive said eliminating mortgage servicing rights, or transferring them to the GSEs, would eliminate the need for nonbank mortgage servicers to make servicing advances on delinquent loans.

Nonbank originations in the primary market appear to be on the upswing with just over three months to go in the year. That’s good news for warehouse providers, but another financier is departing. (Includes data table.)

Although nonbank advocates have long argued for FHLBank membership, new proposals from the Urban Institute address key challenges.