Originations

As many had predicted, the federal regulator will be seeking to halt the acquisition by Intercontinental Exchange, according to a report from Politico.

The National Association of Realtors' index of contract signings to purchase previously owned homes increased 8.1% in January from a month earlier to 82.5. The jump beat all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists, which called for a 1% advance.

Depending on the down payment, borrowers could see a .15% to .30% decrease

Sales of new U.S. homes increased in January by more than expected to the highest level in nearly a year, fueled entirely by purchases in the South, indicating some stabilization in the housing market after a brutal year.

The company said it expects to accelerate its timeline for selling through money-losing inventory, as the data-driven home-flipper looks to move on from a tumultuous year.

Buyer affordability has decreased by almost 22% in the past year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The total price of U.S. homes was $45.3 trillion at the end of 2022, down from a record high of $47.7 trillion in June, according to Redfin's report.

Persistent inflation concerns drove the 30-year average up 41 basis points this month.

The deal would put housing data provided by the acquiring intelligence provider in front of lenders early in the mortgage borrowing process.

The company also disclosed a 50% decrease in single-family workouts at the end of the year, compared to the same period in 2021.

Lenders are seeking to capture homeowner interest amid higher living costs, but home values have collectively fallen from their record-high last summer.

The cut reverts the mortgage insurance requirement to pre-financial crisis levels.

Volumes fell 18% compared to the previous week, while refinance activity also pulled back.

Despite a likely recession, researchers at the government-sponsored enterprise revised volume forecasts upward for both 2023 and 2024, while originators also entered the year expecting their business to improve.

As one of the latest examples of consolidation in the industry, the acquisition is notable in that it aims to preserve the availability of lending resources for both parent companies' customers.

Community Financial Credit Union is partnering with the hosts of "Bargain Block" to renovate low-cost homes and help prospective buyers qualify for their first mortgage.

But the company expects positive margins in the first quarter from Bay Equity Home Loans and increased cross-sell capture from real estate agents.

Single-family property sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 725,000 units last month, a 13.1% increase from December.

The lender paid workers in commissions, and failed to provide a minimum wage over pay periods in which no loans were originated, counsel alleges.

Despite slowing originations, the shift to a purchase-oriented market contributed to growth, while outstanding HELOC amounts also surged to its largest in over a decade, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found.