Refinance

A swell of refinance demand amid a low mortgage rate environment pushed lender profit margin outlooks to the highest level since the first quarter of 2015, according to Fannie Mae.

Mortgage application fraud risk plummeted in the second quarter as refinance loans poured into the market, according to CoreLogic.

Mortgage applications increased 2% on an adjusted basis from one week earlier driven by gains in the purchase market while refinance activity was flat, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

While many lenders lately managed their business expecting reduced volume, now they get to capitalize on extremely low mortgage rates. But today's benevolent conditions will not always be with the industry.

Expectations of lower mortgage rates are the only thing keeping up consumer confidence in the housing market, according to Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index.

With more rate-and-term refinancing in the mix, home lenders did a better job of retaining borrowers in the second quarter, but there's still room for improvement.

While millennials took advantage of mortgage rates falling to two-year lows, increasing their refinance share, teaching them about low down payment loan products would help grow homeownership for this group, according to Ellie Mae.

Mortgage applications fell 3.1% from one week earlier even with another decrease in rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The bucket of homeowners in the money to refinance includes anyone who bought a home in the last 18 months, and lenders are on the phone calling them.

Home equity lenders expect origination activity to remain dreary through next year even though consumers can potentially access more proceeds now than in 2006, a Mortgage Bankers Association survey found.