Origination

Loans with balances under $27,200 do not have to comply with the special rules for property valuations of such mortgages.

The 2021 cap is still pretty high, historically speaking, but it’s down from the cap the Federal Housing Finance Agency put in place for a five-quarter period last year.

New-home construction maintained its momentum in October while possible site shutdowns loom.

October was a good month for home sellers in metro Atlanta.

Mortgage applications slipped 0.3% from one week earlier, as refinance volume, particularly for Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Affairs loans, shrank significantly, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility was brought back to inject $100 billion into the pandemic-battered economy, but only a fraction has been disbursed. Yet experts, pointing to its calming effects on markets, recommend that it be extended into next year.

The remarks from the National Association of Realtors’ incoming president followed a vote by its board to ban “harassing or hate speech” within its code of conduct.

The Mortgage Bankers Association sees rates rising over the next two years, while Fannie Mae expects the average to remain under 3%.

The median credit score for new mortgages and refinancings climbed to 786 during the third quarter, its highest level in more than two decades, according to a report from the New York Fed.

The homeownership rate in Texas just hit an all-time high of 70%, according to the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.