Data and information management

Freddie Mac's third-quarter results suggest that the mortgage giant is living off the refi boom: in 3Q its secondary market acquisitions supported home purchases of 1.4 million units, but 5.6 million of refinancings.

In what may be bad news for mortgage lenders, 30% of all California home buyers paid for their property with cash.

Back in July the credit union beefed up its jumbo ARM lending, rolling out new products with introductory rates as low as 2.875%.

The value of mortgage servicing rights remain at historically low levels, creating one of the best buyer's markets in the history of the business.

It almost seems like old times again. Single-family housing starts spiked 11% in September from the prior month to the highest level since August 2008.

The government owned bank will fund jumbo mortgages through brokers and correspondents.

Mortgage brokers accounted for almost half the job gains since the beginning of the year, according to an analysis by National Mortgage News.

Fannie Mae ended September with loan commitments to buy $76.5 billion of new mortgages, a sign that originations will stay strong until yearend.

The survey, however, offers no specifics on residential loan officers, who according to National Mortgage News, are doing quite well this year.

At the end of September, Redwood Trust had 49 active residential loan sellers, up from 37 at June 30. It hopes to have 55 (correspondent) sellers by year end.

At least 50% of large and small banks reported that applications for HARP loans comprised 10% to 50% of their refinancing applications in 3Q.

Ocwen, in late October, entered into an agreement to purchase reverse mortgage banker, Genworth Financial Home Equity Access, Inc. for $22 million in cash.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached an all-time low of 3.36% last month, while the 15-year hit a record of 2.66%, according to Freddie Mac.

Wells Fargo economists are bullish on home building, citing the fact that single-family starts for the first nine months of this year are running 26% above the 2011 pace.

Impac's “continuing” mortgage business earned $4.4 million and the firm saw originations spike by 33% over the second quarter to almost $710 million.

At BOK Financial mortgage banking revenue increased 70% from a year earlier, to $50.3 million.

Warehouse usage levels haven’t been this strong since the 2000 to 2004 time period when it ranged from 50% to 60%.

Although Genworth's mortgage insurance division lost money, it is seeing a noticeable pick up in new policies written.

New applications continue to fall somewhat but the purchase money share is increasing.

The Federal Housing Administration notes that purchase money loans represented 62% of all government insured forward mortgages originated in fiscal year 2012.