Cart

Inside Mortgage Finance

May 22, 2014

View Archived Issues

Mortgage Profitability Challenged Many Firms In Early 2014, But Most Remain Optimistic

A significant number of independent mortgage bankers failed to turn a profit during the first quarter of 2014, but many firms are tightening their belts and hanging on, thanks to a strong market for mortgage-servicing rights. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s annual performance report due out late this week, mortgage bankers saw their net profit margin on production and secondary marketing slump to a negative 9 basis points, said MBA Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni. The number was preliminary, but it represents a huge decline since the gung-ho first half of 2013, when lenders generated about 120 bps in net income from production. Only about 55 percent of lenders participating in the survey, which is includes a large number of independent mortgage bankers, earned... Read More

Latest Changes to GSE R&W Framework Seen as Small Step in the Right Direction

The latest wrinkles in repurchase policies at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are widely seen as incremental changes that at least point in the right direction. The two government-sponsored enterprises last week announced a narrow adjustment in how loans with minor payment problems can still qualify for buyback relief if they are current 36 months after origination. The new framework also provides buyback protection for mortgages that come clean in the GSEs’ quality control checks and an alternative to automatic repurchase of loans when private mortgage insurance is canceled. Only about 2 percent of loans go... Read More

Retail Market Share Declined in Early 2014 As Refi Volume Fell, Correspondents Gain

All three loan-production channels saw significant declines in volume during the first quarter of 2014, but retail had the biggest downturn, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance ranking and analysis. Retail production declined 24.6 percent from the fourth quarter to an estimated $138 billion, the lowest quarterly volume since the fourth quarter of 2008. Retail lending, which includes traditional loan-origination offices and consumer-direct operations, was down 60.0 percent from the first quarter of last year, slightly worse than the 58.0 percent downturn in the overall market. However, retail is...[Includes four data charts] Read More

Senate GSE Bill Clears Committee, Floor Vote Unlikely; Could Be Years Until Congress Attempts Reform Again

Housing-finance reform legislation is stalled for the remainder of this year and perhaps throughout the next congress after last week’s majority vote by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee to approve the bill, say industry observers. The committee voted 13 to 9 to report out a revised version of S. 1217, the Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act, just one vote more than the minimum to advance the bill for floor vote consideration. The committee approval likely marks... Read More

Buying Another Mortgage Company Can Cost $500K In Due Diligence Costs, But the Final Bill Can Vary

Mortgage firms that hope to acquire other companies can expect to pay anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000 in due-diligence costs as they put their targets under the financial microscope, according to interviews conducted by Inside Mortgage Finance over the past few weeks. The price quotes can vary greatly depending on the size of the company being targeted, especially if there’s a servicing portfolio and platform that needs to be looked at. “The cost absolutely varies... Read More

Mortgage Financing Gaining Market Share From Cash Buyers for Home Purchases

House buyers are increasingly using mortgage financing when purchasing homes, according to the latest Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey. The shift has been prompted in part by a decline in the investor share of home purchases. Some 69.9 percent of homes purchased in April were completed with non-cash financing, up from a 69.7 percent share the previous month and 68.5 percent in April 2013, based on three-month moving averages. Tom Popik, research director of Campbell Surveys, said... Read More

Improved Loan Quality Helped Reduce Overall Delinquency Foreclosure Rates, Past-Due Loans Up for Subprime, VA

Mortgage delinquency rates on most single-family residential properties dropped in the first quarter of 2014 indicating better loan quality and improved market conditions. According to the latest Inside Mortgage Finance Large Servicer Delinquency Index, the overall delinquency rate was 6.60 percent as of the end of March, the lowest it has been since the readings started trending generally downward in the fourth quarter of 2012. The improvement in the first quarter was due...[Includes one data chart] Read More

Lenders Rolling Fees into Rate Sheet Price as Market Moves Toward No-Points Mortgage, Consultant Says

The 3 percent points-and-fees cap for qualified mortgages will likely accelerate an emerging practice of lenders rolling a variety of fees into the rate sheet price as the market continues to evolve toward a no-points mortgage, according to a leading industry consultant. “There has been a shift in the market over the last five years toward zero point loans as lenders build the traditional one percent origination fee into the rate-sheet price,” said Nicole Yung, a managing director with the Stratmor Group, a mortgage banking consulting firm. “This change has been driven by a consumer preference for low up-front costs and the historically low interest rates.” However, there seems... Read More

Just How ‘Flat’ Might Loan-Level Price Adjustments Get on Fannie/Freddie Loans?

Although the Federal Housing Finance Agency has backed away from radically reducing the government sponsored enterprises’ role in the mortgage market, some non-agency lenders believe more of the conventional market might be up for grabs if the FHFA overhauls GSE guaranty fees and loan-level pricing adjustments. There isn’t likely to be much market opened up based on loan amount; FHFA Director Mel Watt has ruled out any change in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits. But the FHFA is actively engaging the industry and will be seeking formal comment on guaranty fees and LLPAs. Under current LLPAs, if a borrower has a low FICO score, low downpayment or other “risk factors,” they pay... Read More

Latest Imf News

More Imf News

Featured Data

More Featured Data

Featured Reports

More Latest Reports

Featured Poll

As homeowner equity continues to build, more and more lenders are launching home equity lending products. Are you thinking of joining this market?

View Results