Origination

A year that saw businesses express growing interest in the segment ended with a more subdued outlook due to interest rate trends, according to a new report.

The share of waivers submitted with purchase mortgages sold to the government-sponsored enterprises accelerated just prior to a change that will make more loans eligible.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods expects a better year for originations than either Fannie Mae or the Mortgage Bankers Association, although volume will remain below the norm.

The Freddie Mac mortgage rate tracker on Thursday morning showed the conforming 30-year fixed rate mortgage creep closer to the 7% level last seen in May.

Refinance demand fell precipitously as average contract interest-rates for most loans rose in the two-week leadup to Christmas.

Newrez's servicing arm approved an "obviously counterfeit" HELOC request from a bad actor totaling almost $500,000, a complaint claims.

Even as annual home value growth levels out and the pace slows, prices are still rising and reached new records in October, two separate tracking measures disclosed.

Rithm Capital has been teasing an initial public offering of the mortgage banker for some time, and 2025 is likely to be the year, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said.

In multiple 2024 suits filed against mortgage businesses, the plaintiff claims he was never a client, but received messages despite being on the do-not-call list.

Lenders will need to lean on alternative products as limited mortgage rate relief keeps some consumers on the sidelines, but others will tire of waiting and act.