Originations

Low mortgage rates are setting the stage for growth, not just in refinancings, but in purchase volume as well during 2020, according to Ellie Mae.

A dip in conventional mortgage refinance demand drove mortgage application volume down compared with one week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Newly constructed home purchase application volume continued its upward momentum during January, with unexpectedly low mortgage rates encouraging consumers to start shopping now, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

For the first time since the start of the housing crisis, mortgage origination volume could top $2 trillion for three consecutive years, according to Fannie Mae.

State and local governments are clearing the policy hurdles that stand in the way of mortgage e-closings and that could pave the way for more progress toward this goal.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Feb. 14.

Mortgage rates ticked up slightly, marking the first increase in four weeks, but they remain at levels which encourage borrowers to refinance, according to Freddie Mac.

While boosting origination volume for lenders and providing financial benefits for borrowers, the refinance boom could have adverse effects down the road, according to TransUnion.

Refinance application activity last week was the highest in nearly seven years, with more than triple the volume from one year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Banks' lowering of origination fees and loosening of underwriting standards often foreshadow a downturn.