ICE: Mortgage Delinquencies Up Slightly in April
The U.S. mortgage delinquency rate increased slightly to 3.22% in April, according to ICE Mortgage Technology’s latest First Look report.
That’s an increase of one...
Zillow: Inventory of Homes for Sale is Up Nearly 20 Percent From a Year...
Inventory of homes for sale surged 19.6% in April compared with April 2024 - and new listings were up 7.6% - but it hardly...
Seamless Integration: The Key to Modernizing Mortgage Servicing Operations
As regulatory expectations evolve, borrower demands shift and the digital transformation of financial services accelerates, mortgage servicers are being forced to re-examine not just...
CRE Finance Council’s Sairah Burki and David McCarthy Discuss Anticipated Regulatory Environment Under Trump
What impact will the Trump Administration’s regulatory and legislative priorities have on CRE finance market participants? In a wide-ranging interview with MortgageOrb, Sairah Burki,...
Denial Rates Increased, Top Lenders Dominated and Lending Volume Rebounded in 2024
Mortgage lending volume rebounded slightly in 2024 compared with 2023, driven by a resurgence in refinancing, according to iEmergent’s Mortgage MarketSmart report.
The forecasting and...
FHFA Establishes Mortgage Fraud Tip Line and is Exploring Ways to ‘Recall’ Fraudulent Loans
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), regulator of government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, has established a tip line “where anyone and everyone...
Affordability Gap Between Renting and Owning Has Widened Significantly
Americans need to earn $116,633 per year to afford the median priced home for sale, 81.8% more than the $64,160 needed to afford the...
OptimalBlue: Mortgage Lock Volume Increased 24 Percent in March
A 52% surge in rate-and-term refi locks during March drove a 24% overall increase in mortgage lock volume as early spring buyers returned to...
GSEs Expand Eligibility for Appraisal Waivers on Purchase Loans, Among Other Policy Updates
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced updates to several Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac policies including expanding eligibility for appraisal waivers on...
Joseph D’Urso: Now is a Great Time to Start a Title Business
With the Fed’s recent rate cut and more cuts forecast, now may be a great time to start a title business. In this MortgageOrb...
Mortgage Credit Tightened in September as Lenders Remained Cautious
Mortgage credit availability decreased in September, falling 0.5% to a score of 98.5 on the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI).
A...
Average Monthly Housing Payment Has Spiked 20 Percent Since 2020
The average monthly housing payment hit an all-time high in August, due mainly to rising insurance costs, which have been increasing at three times...
CoreLogic: Home Price Growth Muted in August
U.S. home prices increased 1.0% in August compared with July and were up 3.9% compared with August 2023, according to CoreLogic’s home price index...
Home Prices Hit New High in July but Rate of Appreciation Slowed
U.S. home prices increased 0.2% on an adjusted basis in July compared with June and were up 5% compared with July 2023, according to...
MBA: Applications for New Home Purchases Increased 4.4 Percent Annually in August
Despite a slight decrease in rates that came during the month, applications for mortgages for new home purchases were flat in August compared with...
August Jobs Report Shows a Cooling Labor Market, Supporting a Fed Rate Cut
The U.S. economy added 142,000 jobs in August - weaker growth than in previous months - while the unemployment rate remained flat at 4.2%,...
First American: Rising Inventory in April Had Little Effect on Home Prices, Affordability
A combination of increased listings and weakening affordability continued to dampen home price appreciation in April – a trend that will likely to continue,...
Redfin: Demand for Vacation Home Mortgages Dropped 40 Percent in 2023
Demand for vacation-home mortgages fell 40% in 2023 as the average U.S. home price surged to a record high, Redfin reports.
Austin and the Bay...
Are Prime Borrowers Really Still ‘Prime?’
In the current economic climate, borrowers and lenders alike are afflicted by rising inflation, elevated interest rates and changing employment patterns. Just as borrowers...
Building Success in a Tough Market: Key Strategies for MLOs
In today's mortgage landscape, mortgage loan originators (MLOs) must find their way to success through an increasingly complex and difficult market. With the downturn...