Origination

The share of home sales that were competitive remained above year-ago levels in July, but only by a few percentage points.

Depressed margins and a $219 million hit to its servicing rights fair value translated to a lower bottom line at the wholesaler.

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Originations of loans to the self-employed and other outside-the-box borrowers had better margins than mainstream mortgages in the second quarter, but rebuilding after the niche market’s temporary disruption last year generated significant expenses.

But median prices still rose 17% year-over-year, the company found.

Second quarter open orders were 37% higher than one year prior, while closed orders grew by 43%.

A federal judge in Washington ruled that a temporary U.S. ban on evictions in parts of the country hit hardest by the coronavirus can continue, a major victory for the Biden administration’s efforts to extend protections as the Delta variant spreads.

While the company's mortgage originations saw a 46% annual drop in gain on sale margin, it anticipates that annual volumes will exceed 2020 levels.

The guarantor of mortgage-backed securities has been without a Senate-confirmed president for four and a half years. The vacancy makes it difficult for other government agencies to coordinate housing objectives, according to stakeholders.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and Federal Housing Finance Agency, which supervises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, formed a pact to share information and coordinate investigations of potential fair-lending violations.