Borrowers are Exiting Forbearance at an Increased Rate
For the moment at least, the number of loans in forbearance are heading downhill and picking up speed. Black Knight says the number of active plans declined by 135,000 over the past month (-5 percent), 19,000 (-0.7 percent) occurred in the last week alone. As of March 23, there were 2.57 million loans remaining in […]
Jobless Claims Dropped to the Lowest Level Since the Pandemic Started
Job market momentum seems to have picked up as the vaccine is becoming more widely available across the country, with thirty-two states reporting a decrease in new claims for the week ending March 20, 2021. www.nar.realtor – Research
Mortgage Profits Decline but Remain Close to Record Levels
Mortgage originators’ profits remained strong in the fourth quarter of 2020, although they were down considerably from the previous period. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA’s) Mortgage Bankers Performance Report says that independent mortgage banks (IMBs) and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a net gain of $ 3,738 on each loan they originated during the […]
MBS Day Ahead: 5yr Auction in Focus; What About Econ Data and Oil?
Posted To: MBS Commentary Bonds are starting the day in roughly unchanged territory after trying to go on a stronger run in the overnight session. If the remainder of the week sees higher yields, it will be yet another example of the "false start" trend discussed yesterday . The only major data on the econ […]
MBA Survey: “Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Decreases to 5.05%”
Note: This is as of March 14th. From the MBA: Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Decreases to 5.05% The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest Forbearance and Call Volume Survey revealed that the total number of loans now in forbearance decreased by 9 basis points from 5.14% of servicers’ portfolio volume in the prior week […]
Mortgage Rates End Week Near 1-Year Highs
Today ended up being fairly uneventful for mortgage rates –a welcome reprieve in the context of recent volatility. Actually, “volatility” is putting it mildly. 2021 has been a total rout for longer-term rates, even if 30yr fixed mortgages in the low-to-mid 3% range are historically excellent. That “historical context” argument is good perspective for the […]
Stark Contrast: Refi Records in February vs Interest Rate Carnage Since Then
Despite your thoughts on the term “fake news,” we have to talk about it in the context of mortgage rates . It’s highly pertinent, even if deception is far from the intention. Thursday is a big day for mortgage rate news because that’s when Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey is published. Why does that […]
Refinance Activity Broke an Almost 9-Year Record in February
It hasn’t exactly been a scramble, but homeowners have stepped up their refinancing activity over the last two months as they saw interest rates begin a slow but steady march higher. The February Origination Insights Report from ICE Mortgage Technology shows the refinancing share of all loans originated during the month moved 1 point higher […]
Lumber Prices and Rising Rates Take a Toll on Builder Confidence
Escalating costs took a toll on builder confidence this month. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) said its Housing Market Index dipped two points from its February level. At 82 it is down 8 points from the all-time high it established last November. NAHB’s chief economist Robert Dietz said, while there is still a high […]
Repairers of the Breach
America’s history of racist housing policies inflicted staggering losses on Black Americans. Today, REALTORS® are playing a vital role in community efforts to acknowledge and repair the harm. www.nar.realtor – Fair Housing