Lenders aren’t stretching to goose originations of GSE or government-insured loans. Issuance of agency MBS was fairly stable through the first half of 2026 and underwriting standards held firm, regardless of the presence of primary MI. (Includes three data tables.)
Carrington led MSR buyers in the first half of the year, focusing on loans with lower coupons. Bayview Asset Management ranked second, targeting mortgages with interest rates above 6.0%.
If the Federal Reserve is able to reduce inflation, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh believes that interest rates on mortgages will come down. Economists in the mortgage market aren’t expecting lower rates anytime soon.
Mark Begor, CEO of Equifax, dismissed concerns that mortgage lenders are looking at scores from both FICO and VantageScore to determine which score to use with mortgages delivered to the GSEs.
“Incoming data showed that inflation dropped in June, but with oil prices spiking again, that improvement seems unlikely to continue in July data, and mortgage rates are likely to remain higher as a result,” said Mike Fratantoni, a senior vice president and chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association.