housing wire

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased a record $2.52 trillion in single-family loans in 2021, with the average guarantee fee — expected to cover credit losses, administrative costs and cost of capital — rising 2 basis points from the prior year

FHA’s Tuesday release of its MMIF Report showing that FHA continues to build its capital reserve ratio to 11.1% will no doubt add fuel to the public debate about whether FHA should cut premiums for the borrowers it serves. This

Wisconsin-based mortgage lender Waterstone Mortgage Corporation appointed Chik Quintans its new director of digital marketing, the company announced Thursday. In his new role, Quintans will oversee the digital marketing strategy to advance Waterstone Mortgage’s online presence through social media campaigns

High mortgage rates and looming economic uncertainty caused trillions in equity to evaporate from the housing market in the third quarter of 2022, according to Black Knight’s mortgage monitor report. And while additional declines are expected to be on the

Despite increased competition, wholesale lender Homepoint has rolled out a new home equity line of credit (HELOC) product. The goal is to court more brokers at a time when home equity levels remain high.  Available on investment properties, single-unit owner-occupied

Revenue and net income were both down for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the third quarter, and the two government sponsored entities (GSEs) expect the housing market to deteriorate further in the fourth quarter. Collectively, the GSEs have set

It’s yet another casualty in the non-QM space – California-based Athas Capital Group is winding down its operations and laying off more than 200 employees due to the challenges in the secondary market.  Executives at the mortgage lender announced their

California lender New American Funding issued pink slips to 240 employees last week, bringing the total cut this year to nearly 1,000. The force reductions come after two years of rapid expansion. “The mortgage market slowdown is unfortunately affecting our

On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 261,000 jobs were created and we had 29,000 positive revisions to prior reports. This means the honey badger labor market will keep the Federal Reserve from pivoting anytime soon.  This has

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released a report on Friday that found 88% of all first-time homebuyers in the U.S. are white, while 8% are Hispanic, 3% are Black and 2% are Asian. The share of Black and Asian

This week’s HW+ member spotlight features Aaron Smith, vice president at sales at Next Door Photos. HW Media: What is your current favorite HW+ article and why? Aaron Smith: I love everything RealTrends. It helps cut through the noise of the market and shows you what

There has been a flurry of recent articles prognosticating a decrease to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance premiums. Several trade groups including the Mortgage Bankers Association have corresponded with the HUD Secretary in support of cuts. One news article suggested a possible

Retail lender and servicer Mr. Cooper has dropped the ax on approximately 800 staffers, roughly a week after hinting that job cuts were coming due to lower origination production. “In the face of market volatility and economic uncertainty, Mr. Cooper

Rocket Companies, the parent of Rocket Mortgage, lost money in the third quarter and also appears to have lost its title as America’s largest mortgage originator. Rocket originated $25.6 billion in mortgage volume in the third quarter, which was 71%

Job growth continued in October, but at a slower pace as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 261,000 jobs from September, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) is now the biggest mortgage lender in America, thanks in large part to a cut-rate pricing strategy that has put extreme pressure on competitors. UWM originated $33.5 billion in the third quarter, toppling its arch rival

The Federal Reserve’s tightening of monetary policy is causing mortgage rates to rise rapidly. For lenders, that means finding new ways to drum up business, like introducing programs that try to convince borrowers to ‘marry the house and date the

A team of more than 60 mortgage bankers at now-defunct Finance of America Mortgage has landed at Hallmark Home Mortgage. The retail team covers the states of Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas. Marc Wadman will continue

The housing industry, from servicers to real estate agents and more, will feel the impacts of this year’s hurricane season far beyond 2022. In the midst of this, a potential lapse in the National Flood Insurance is top of mind

Rocket Mortgage is now offering a conventional loan option for buyers who want to purchase or refinance a manufactured home, which expands the home financing options in a rapidly shrinking industry. Borrowers can use this loan to finance a manufactured

Amid a surprisingly strong U.S. economic performance and persistent inflation, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised the federal funds rate by another 75 basis points, to 3.75%-4%, launching it to the highest level since December 2007. The decision, expected by

It’s clear that 2023 will be a very different year for the title industry than what we’ve experienced in the recent past. Despite the forecasted decline in orders, we’re still expecting an overall origination volume of just over $2 trillion.

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB), a trade association representing mortgage professionals and homebuyers since its establishment in 1973, announced its agenda for 2023 at it NAMB National conference. According to a statement, NAMB pledged to advocate for a

Rithm Capital, formerly known as New Residential Investment, delivered a $124.5 million profit from July to September, due primarily to its servicing portfolio performance. In the third quarter, the company intensified the diversification of its businesses and further downsized its mortgage business amid