Loan Think

FACTS

Essent Guaranty, a new start-up mortgage insurance company, has yet to write its first MI policy but it should be any week now, we're told. Essent is the brainchild of Mark Casale, who resigned as president of Radian Guaranty in October 2007. The new company is based in Radner, Pa. In other MI news, The PMI Group reported another huge quarterly loss ($228 million), this time for the period ending December 31. Its stock continues to trade for just over $2 a share...

The words you choose for your company's ethics and value statement are important in how your employees react and conform their behavior to that statement.

Loan brokers are continuing to complain about tight underwriting requirements and a lack of financing for condominiums, especially in the devastated Florida market. One New Jersey-based broker who facilitates loans there says the mega banks are requiring at least 40% down for most condo loans in the sunshine state. Mortgage insurers continue to be negative on the state as well. Meanwhile, I continue to receive emails from brokers and loan officers concerning a lack of financing for other property types. Topping the list -- drum roll please -- is manufactured housing. No surprise there, really...

As a result of my ignorance my dog Buddie almost died this week. How? He has been eating the stalk of a palm plant on the back porch after it died from the winter freeze.

THIS JUST IN: A Midwestern bank plans to expand its small warehouse platform in the coming months. There's also been talk that Fannie Mae is toying with a warehouse pilot. (The latter is unconfirmed.) For full details see the Monday edition of National Mortgage News. Don't subscribe? Call: (800)221-1809...

Investors are continuing talks with PNC Financial Services regarding the future of the old National City warehouse lending group. Those talks have been ongoing for several weeks, sources told us, and there is a new optimism that a deal might actually happen. Meanwhile, the NatCity warehouse group continues to provide credit to its nonbank mortgage customers but is not expanding current lines. Up until recently, it appeared that PNC was just going to let the business wither but as one observer put it, "How can you let a business that is bringing in $30 million a year shrivel up? Try explaining that to PNC's board. I'm sure they'd be very interested." Stay tuned...

I've seen about a dozen of so e-mails from loan originators just within the last few weeks that are using mortgage/loan/financial "counselor" as their title.

It could have been worse for the Mortgage Bankers Association. Yes, it's taking a large hit on the sale of its corporate HQ in downtown Washington but at least the building's roof didn't collapse during the blizzard of 2010. An advisor close to the matter said the 'short sale' to CoStar will ensure the trade group's financial viability. "It's essential to keep MBA focused at this time," he said. "This building and the problems it caused were a distraction and an albatross around our neck." One mortgage banker said some rank-and-file members of MBA (as opposed to its board) were not happy to learn about the sale from media reports. However a trade group source said members knew what the situation was regarding the building for well over a year...

For the next few weeks, Broker Universe will feature some of our favorite Sue Haviland columns from the past year.I've received a great many calls and e-mails lately from coaching clients regarding seniors who "just won't make a decision right now about the reverse mortgage." Those readers who know me are fully aware of my typical advice in this situation: "Look in the mirror."