Texas-based independent mortgage bank Thrive Mortgage has signed a letter of intent to acquire the Ohio-based lender American Mortgage Service Company (AMSC). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition will strengthen Thrive’s retail channel and bring with it new territories amidst arguably the most challenging mortgage market since the early 1980s. Thrive’s […]
Caliber Home Loans, owned by publicly-traded Rithm Capital, issued pink slips to at least 300 employees earlier this week as soaring mortgage rates thin out already-declining origination volume. The lender has made at least four rounds of layoffs this year, multiple sources told HousingWire. An internal document viewed by HousingWire details which jobs were eliminated […]
Last year, in a Housing Wire op-ed, Community Home Lenders of America took the lead nationally in opposing calls to extend the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to independent mortgage banks (IMBs). The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) then returned the volley in an op-ed by Jesse Van Tol advocating for extending CRA to IMBs. And HousingWire […]
You think things are bad in the housing market now? Stick around and see if mortgage rates climb into the 7% range. If it happens, the current origination forecast of $2.2 trillion in 2023 will look awfully rosy. Even the most battle-tested industry players are preparing for one of the strongest housing market corrections in […]
Freddie Mac is launching its 10th credit-risk transfer transaction of the year via its Structured Agency Credit Risk (STACR) program, bringing the total note offerings through its two flagship STACR series programs to $12.8 billion so far in 2022. The new credit risk transfer (CRT) offering, STACR 2022-DNA7, outlined in a presale report by Kroll Bond Rating […]
Mortgage rates house, resize ” data-medium-file=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?w=1024″ width=”1200″ height=”800″ src=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?w=1024″ alt=”resize” class=”wp-image-264916″ srcset=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg 1200w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?resize=150,100 150w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?resize=300,200 300w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?resize=768,512 768w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AdobeStock_7907098.jpeg?resize=600,400 600w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”>Mortgage rates, now around 6.5%, are cooling down the housing market and triggering mass layoffs in the mortgage and real estate industries. Mortgage rates have nearly doubled to […]
Haley Parker is the area business development manager at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. She sat down with HousingWire to share her excitement for the upcoming HousingWire Annual conference and her role on the welcome committee. HousingWire: What are you most looking forward to at HW Annual 2022? Haley Parker: Networking and connecting with Industry friends! […]
Following grumblings from some servicers and industry trade groups, Ginnie Mae on Tuesday issued a statement that most nonbank mortgage companies it does business with will be able to comply with its upcoming — and controversial — capital rule requirements. “While the overwhelming majority of Ginnie Mae issuers are compliant with these requirements today, we will […]
Fannie Mae has launched its ninth Connecticut Avenue Series (CAS) credit-risk transfer deal of 2022, a $$591 million note offering backed by a reference pool of single-family mortgages. The transaction, CAS 2022-RO9, involves a reference pool of 96,000 single-family mortgages with an outstanding principal balance of $29.3 billion. The loans in the reference pool have loan-to-value ratios […]
New York-based Unlock Technologies, a fintech operating in the shared-equity market, and real estate investment firm Saluda Grade, have closed a $180 million private-label securitization (PLS) backed entirely by Unlock-originated residential home-equity agreements (HEAs). The PLS transaction, called UNLOK 2022-1, involves $144 million of unrated senior Class A notes, $18 million of mezzanine Class B securities and $18 […]
Today the National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales fell once again to 4.80 million. Even though this was a beat of estimates, the sales decline trend due to higher mortgage rates and home prices continues. The savagely unhealthy housing market theme of mine is running in full force now as we have […]
Economists at Fannie Mae say the Federal Reserve‘s fiscal policy is having its desired effect on the housing market – home price growth began to slow in the summer, and the GSE says the housing slowdown will continue through 2023. The agency’s Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group forecasts the total home sales to decline 17.2% […]
Are you on TikTok yet? Your future borrowers could be – the social media app is expected to reach 1.8 billion users by the end of 2022, with many users falling under the Millennial and Gen Z umbrellas. As more of these younger borrowers begin to show interest in buying a home, it’s a great […]
Mortgage rates in the 6% range have frozen the housing market, forcing loan officers to find business outside their wheelhouses. ” data-medium-file=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?w=1024″ width=”1200″ height=”700″ src=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?w=1024″ alt=”1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood” class=”wp-image-363570″ srcset=”https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png 1200w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?resize=150,88 150w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?resize=300,175 300w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?resize=768,448 768w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?resize=1024,597 1024w, https://www.housingwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1200x700_forsale-empty-neighborhood.png?resize=600,350 600w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px”>Mortgage rates in the 6% range have frozen the housing market, forcing […]
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) secured a court order that temporarily shut down the operations and froze the assets of Home Matters USA, Academy Home Services, Atlantic Pacific Service Group, Golden Home Services America and its owners, Dominic Ahiga and Roger Scott Dyer. Following a […]
Housing construction in the U.S. during the brief COVID-19 recession, to that recovery, and now in the new housing recession, is going to go down in history as one of those crazy data lines we lived through. Just to give you some perspective here, at the peak of 2005, we had about 2.24 million housing […]
Atlanta-based non-QM lender Angel Oak Cos., through its mortgage-backed securities conduit Angel Mortgage Trust, has unveiled its sixth private-label securities (PLS) offering of 2022, even as fast-rising interest rates have jumped far ahead of the lower-rate legacy loans securing the deal. The average coupon is 5% for the pool of 795 non-qualified (non-QM) mortgages backing the current […]
Delray Beach, Florida-based mortgage lender ResMac, Inc., like many others, has trimmed its workforce so its cost structure is in line with reduced origination volume. The company is focused on expanding beyond residential loans amid a price war and surging rates. To grow in the coming years, it seeks to raise capital. It’s all part […]
New home purchase applications in August were down year over year but rebounded after four consecutive months of declines despite higher mortgage rates, declining homebuilder sentiment and looming economic uncertainty, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said. The MBA’s builder application survey (BAS) data for August showed mortgage applications for new home purchases declined 10.1% from […]
Servicers’ forbearance rate declined in August, excepting for Ginnie Mae loans, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported Monday. The trade group expects pressure in the coming months if the unemployment rate increases. The total number of loans in forbearance decreased two basis points from the previous month to 0.72% of the servicers’ total portfolio volume in August, positive news […]
A perfect lending storm spurred by the pandemic resulted in an absolutely stunning year for the mortgage industry in 2020. Top lenders who were able to quickly build capacity and take advantage of near-zero interest rates were rewarded with an increase in market share. Those trends largely continued in 2021, even though refi business slowed […]
The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals who have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s Tech Trendsetters award are now open through Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. Click here to nominate someone you know — it can even be you! As tech innovation continues to transform the housing ecosystem, one sector […]
Select Portfolio Servicing Inc. (SPS) has struck a deal to acquire certain assets of Texas-based Rushmore Loan Management Services LLC. The deal, announced Monday, will result in Salt Lake City-based SPS acquiring Rushmore’s servicing personnel. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals. Terms of the deal were not […]
Since the announcement of the new capital rule, Ginnie Mae has been on the receiving end of a lot of backlash from industry and the analysts who associate with the mortgage banking marketplace. Despite significant, thoughtful feedback to Ginnie Mae about the impacts of some of their proposals, it seems that Ginnie Mae simply turned […]
The Women of Influence award honors women who have made a significant contribution to the housing industry each year. Honorees from both 2022 and 2021 are making a splash at this year’s HW Annual in Scottsdale, Arizona from Oct. 3-5. They will take the stage to share insights, advice and stories that attendees can take […]
Rocket Mortgage and its wholesale arm Rocket Pro TPO will reduce homebuyers’ monthly mortgage payments by one full percentage point for the first year of their loan. Dubbed the “Inflation Buster” program, Rocket aims to give borrowers a reprieve to combat high inflation and affordability challenges, the company said in a statement Friday. Rocket Mortgage […]
Fannie Mae has completed the sale of its 27th reperforming-loan offering since the inaugural transaction in 2016. The deal represents Fannie Mae’s fourth reperforming-loan sale this year and involves a total of some 6,060 loans valued at $986.4 million. The offering — originally announced August 11 and dubbed FNMA 2022-RPL4 — was divided into three loan pools that were […]
Looking for a quick and easy way to stay up-to-date on mortgage lending news, trends and technology? Podcasts are a great resource for mortgage professionals to continue learning, with shows covering industry updates, business advice and the experiences of other pros in the mortgage industry. The podcasts below can be found across a variety of […]
Having open and honest conversations around how to navigate your personal and professional life is more important than ever, as everyone works to find harmony in their life. At HW Annual on Oct. 3, Dalila Ramos, founder of Love and Tacos Media, will lead a session on work life balance, addressing the realities that many […]
Another single-family rental (SFR) securitization deal sponsored by a large institutional player, Progress Residential, is slated to hit the private-label market this month, bringing the total securitization-deal count for Progress to seven so far this year. This latest transaction, Progress 2022-SFR7, will be secured by a single $426.8 million fixed-rate loan backed by mortgages on 1,434 […]
The latest weekly survey data from Freddie Mac shows the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to an average of 6.02% this week ahead of the Federal Reserve’s much-anticipated interest rate hike next week. Daily mortgage rate calculators are showing 30-year fixed rates at 6.30% and above. A year ago at this time, rates averaged 2.86%. […]
loanDepot continues to make changes to its top management as it navigates a sharp workforce reduction in a shrinking mortgage market. The California-based mortgage lender announced on Wednesday it has hired Gregory Smallwood, former general counsel and executive vice president of Caliber Home Loans, to be chief legal officer and corporate secretary. The announcement comes […]
Cenlar FSB, the nation’s second-largest mortgage servicer and largest sub-servicer, hired Gary Gaskin as vice president of transfer services. Gaskin will be responsible for areas of loan boarding, acquisitions and transfers as well as improving operation efficiencies, the firm said. The executive brings more than 22 years of experience in servicing. He was most recently […]
Demand for mortgage loans declined last week as mortgage rates reached their highest level since 2008, crossing the 6% threshold. The market composite index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume by the Mortgage Bankers Association, fell 1.2% for the week ending Sep. 9, compared to the previous week. It was also down 64% compared […]
With housing affordability at an all-time low and accelerating consumer prices disproportionately affecting lower- and middle-income families, the Mortgage Bankers Association this week called on the White House and the Federal Housing Administration to reduce annual mortgage insurance premiums. In a letter addressed to the National Economic Council, the mortgage trade group said the combination […]
Home-equity lending is on a roll this year, with the combined volume of home-equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and traditional closed-end home equity loans up 47% from January to May of 2022, compared with the same period last year. Nearly $69 billion in HELOC credit limits and $27 billion in closed-end home-equity loans were originated […]
Lending standards tightened in August amid a worsening economic outlook and signs of cooling in home-price growth. The mortgage credit availability index (MCAI) fell marginally by 0.5% to 108.3 in August from the previous month, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). A decline in MCAI, benchmarked to 100 in March 2012, indicates that lending […]
With all the talk about a hot housing market and changes on the horizon thanks to increasing mortgage rates, it can be hard to forget that these market-wide changes have a real effect on real people, especially those dealing with loss or health problems in their families. Mortgage Bankers Association’s charity, Opens Doors Foundation, recognizes […]
California-based mortgage lender loanDepot has named Joseph Grassi, an industry veteran who spent two decades at Fannie Mae, as its chief risk officer, the company announced Monday. The executive will enhance the mortgage lender’s risk management program, aligning loanDepot’s initiatives with those of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), according to the company. Starting immediately in […]
Inflation is expected to continue “to decline across all horizons” over the next year while home prices, too, are projected to decline “sharply” to the lowest level since July 2020, according to the most recent Survey of Consumer Expectations (SCE) released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The median one-year inflation expectation, the August SCE […]
Fraud risk for mortgages declined 7.5% in the second quarter for this year compared to 12 months ago, but income and property fraud incidents are likely to rise, CoreLogic forecasts. In the second quarter of 2022, about 1 in 131 mortgage applications contained fraud while 1 in 120 applications were fraudulent in the same period […]
As mortgage interest rates crept back up in August after retreating the previous month, rate lock volume dipped to a four-year low. Total lock volumes were down 8.9% from July, led by a 13.9% decline in rate/term refinance locks, according to Black Knight’s originations market monitor report. Rate/term refi locks dropped 94.5% year over year. […]
NEXA Mortgage, the largest mortgage brokerage in the country, this week cut ties with the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME), claiming the trade group fails to address bullying and lacks proper governance. Mike Kortas, the controversial CEO and co-founder who himself is no stranger to starting online scraps, said other community members, including smaller […]
Ben Slayton’s Legacy Home Loans, the largest Black-led mortgage banking firm in the country, has launched a special purpose credit program for prospective Black borrowers in six cities across the country. The SPCP, called “closing the gap,” permits a 1% down payment with a free appraisal, free home warranty program, free homebuying counseling and financial […]
Following the latest round of layoffs, Homepoint has shrunk its workforce from about 4,000 workers in summer of 2021 to about 1,000 in fall of 2022. The wholesale lender last week laid off 913 employees, according to a review of Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices filed in Arizona, Florida, Michigan and Texas. Over the […]