National Mortgage News - November/December 2021

Is the Biden approach to Fannie and Freddie good for community lenders?

More aggressive pursuit of government-related agencies’ affordable housing mission is expanding product availability, but government intervention can be a double-edged sword.

Acting FHFA Director Sandra Thompson's decision to act immediately rather than taking the time to examine the impact likely harmed private-label securitizations in the short term, but issuance is still on course for a record year.

The industry is prioritizing Black and Hispanic consumers in the interest of social equity and to tap new markets amid declining refinance volume and rising rates.

Rising debt-to-income ratios were behind almost a third of refinance rejections among those 65 and older, according to an analysis from the Urban Institute.

Average incomes for this age group increased by 24% since 2012, but housing prices jumped 86%.

Earnings are up from the second quarter, but originations slip at Wells Fargo and Citi.

Gain on sale has dipped 130 basis points per loan since the third quarter last year, but over the same period, per loan expense is up by $1,216.

Taking a consistent, equitable and borrower-friendly approach could go a long way toward compliance, but mortgage companies and attorneys expect the devil will be in the details.

The agency said the risk management program for Cenlar FSB, which performs servicing functions for financial institution clients, was inadequate for the bank's size.

The company sees an opportunity as its competitors have to sell to make up for lost income due to tighter origination margins.

Amazon, Google and other technology giants entering financial services should be subject to the same supervision banks are, Rohit Chopra said in his first congressional testimony as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He also said he wants to focus enforcement on large firms that harm many people rather than chasing small companies.

The MI Estimated Rate Quote application programming interface is built upon the JSON standard, used in server-to-mobile communications.

Trustmark Bank agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it discriminated against Black and Hispanic residents in Memphis, Tennessee. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Department of Justice and other agencies will continue their crackdown.

Several housing groups wrote a letter calling for “substantially improved written proposals” for the period starting in 2022, and support for chattel manufactured-home loans.

Several housing groups wrote a letter calling for “substantially improved written proposals” for the period starting in 2022, and support for chattel manufactured-home loans.

If lenders build this technology, data suggests that borrowers will come walking out of the cornfields for it — but Congress needs to pass the SECURE Act first.