Refinance

Increases in refinances, both in applications and average size, help lead overall numbers higher

For all respondents, cash edged financing by one percentage point, but half of those that bought last year used cash, ServiceLink found.

A spike in government-sponsored applications helped lead indexes to their largest gains in several weeks.

Changed borrower psychology and the severe housing inventory shortage dropped lending activity across the board, according to Black Knight.

Even though product availability is now at the same point where it was one year ago, it remains at 2014 levels.

More than two-thirds surveyed said they expect to make less money over the next three months as price reductions ramp up along with a market shift to purchases.

Purchase loans tick upward, even as housing demand pushes prices well above 2020 levels.

Refinancings more than doubled the year-ago amount and made up for the slowed purchase activity, according to Attom Data Solutions.

The MBA’s Market Composite Index decreased a seasonally adjusted 4% last week, dropping to a point not seen since February 2020.

Borrowers with loans secured by personal rather than real property made up 46% of manufactured housing borrowers in 2019 and of this group, only 5% used the loans to refinance.

The steady pace of refinance activity has also continued, as borrowers seek to take advantage of sub-3% rates.

Average days to close dropped closer to pre-pandemic levels in April, according to ICE Mortgage Technology.

Garg discusses how Better plans to maintain growth in a volatile market in an exclusive interview.

Average loan size also continues to increase, as demand remains high and costs in homebuilding materials rise this year.

Economic recovery should soar into the summer as vaccination rates climb and restrictions loosen up, but low inventory is likely to limit mortgage activity into the next year, according to Fannie Mae.

Mortgage activity fell across the board despite analysis that 14.5 million current qualified borrowers would benefit from a refinance, according to Black Knight.

Purchase loan volume also increased, as borrowers tried to take advantage of rate dips across all loan types

While cash-out refinances were a “significant driver” of risky loans leading to the Great Recession, those mortgages pose less of a threat due to tighter underwriting standards, according to Milliman.

The recent increase in loan size across all application types reflects rising prices, which contributed to a drop in applications, Mortgage Bankers Association economist Joel Kan said.

Hedge accounting will align Fannie’s reporting with competitor Freddie Mac, and will address a mismatch between the recorded value of financial instruments used to offset interest-rate volatility on mortgages and the loans themselves.