Risk management

The combination of rising rates and real estate prices has made home buying less affordable, reviving interest in a product that lets consumers borrow against the future equity of their homes.

Risk management concerns were responsible for a five-percentage-point reduction in bank non-qualified mortgage lending last year.

Loan defects are inching upward in a market where higher rates could lead to more fraud risk.

PHH Corp. President and CEO Glen Messina will step down in June at the company's annual meeting.

Home affordability is near lows last seen post-crisis but there is hope wage growth that is outpacing home prices in many counties could reverse or slow the trend.

The industry expects to lean on technological efficiencies this year as higher rates and dwindling refinances test their businesses.

Fintech could cut the closing times on the simplest home loans by more than 50%, but the mortgage business' complexity means there are limits to how much time and money can be saved.

Fannie Mae has obtained reinsurance for $510 million of credit losses on $20.4 billion of single-family residential mortgages through a pair of credit insurance risk transfer transactions.

With refinance volume shrinking, some lenders are making up the difference by turning to alternative loan products for borrowers with lower credit scores.

Higher interest rates have reduced prepayments to levels not seen since 2014.