By CHUCK GREEN
As Americans remain determined to climb the homeownership ladder despite affordability challenges and a lack of inventory, the link between buying a house and success is strengthening, but that may not be benefitting society or the people who have to sacrifice to compete in the current market.
Roger Valdez, director at the Center for Housing Economics, told The Mortgage Note that life in the United States has been profoundly shaped by the 30-year mortgage, and as a result, mobility and entrepreneurship have likely suffered.
“There’s been a sort of desperation to get into a home and a mortgage over the last three years. The pandemic shifted people’s work and life habits in such a way that, for…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
The president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia knew he was facing a tough crowd when he took the stage during a Monday morning session at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s annual convention and expo.
“I stand here this morning fully aware of the mood in this room and I am also fully aware of the way the actions we on the FOMC have taken over the past 18 months in our efforts to tame inflation to get it back to a 2% annual target have, in their own way, contributed to the current mortgage climate,” Patrick Harker said.
Harker said he met with community members this summer to see firsthand the impacts that monetary…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s chief economist and his team had some good news for those in attendance of their annual convention and expo on Sunday afternoon.
Total mortgage origination volume is expected to be $1.95 trillion in 2024, up from the $1.64 trillion projected for 2023.
At the same time, volume is predicted to increase 19% by loan count, with 5.2 million loans expected next year.
Michael Fratantoni, chief economist and senior vice president of research and industry technology, said members just have to make it through the winter.
“In terms of origination volume, we think 2023 is the low point,” Fratantoni said, adding that many lenders have had five or six quarters of production losses.
In…
By NICOLE MURRAY
During a homebuying transaction, it is required that sellers disclose a property’s physical defects to shoppers before a deal is finalized. But are there similar rules in place for sellers and their real estate agents if deaths, murders, hauntings and/or paranormal activity have knowingly occurred on the property being sold? According to Roy Condrey, founder and CEO of DiedInHouse.com, laws for these situations vary state by state but very few make it mandatory for the seller to disclose such information.
“I wish being told this type of information was a given but I’m not exactly surprised,” Condrey told The Mortgage Note. “This sensitive information can quickly transform a high-value home for sale into a stigmatized property. I’ve…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Rocket Pro TPO has increased the limits for conforming loans, and in doing so, leaders there say getting ahead of the curve will benefit mortgage professionals and their clients.
Officials at the Federal Housing Finance Agency won’t be announcing the 2024 conforming loan limits until November, but starting today, broker partners of Rocket Pro TPO will be able to take advantage of them, according to Executive Vice President Mike Fawaz.
Fawaz spoke with The Mortgage Note on Friday.
“We’re very, very excited about this one. As you know, last year Rocket Mortgage was the very first lender that was able to implement the 2023 conforming loan limits, and this year it’s no different,” Fawaz said. “I think…
By CHUCK GREEN
The housing market has been slowing down due to interest rate hikes, but that likely won’t stop officials from pushing further in their fight against inflation. And average American homebuyers and sellers will be affected by their decisions as affordability continues to be a concern nationwide.
Last week, the Federal Reserve Board voted to hold interest rates steady at their monthly policy meeting, keeping the federal funds rate target range between 5.25% and 5.5%.
Chairman Jerome Powell said in his remarks that despite the pause, “We are prepared to raise rates further if appropriate, and we intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our objective.”…
By ERIN FLYNN JAY
Mortgage loans have some risks, as do student loans. But the two don’t add up to a toxic combination that threatens to cause a price crash in the housing market, and trillions of dollars of damages for taxpayers to clean up.
A recent WSJ opinion piece by Allysia Finley claims taxpayers are standing behind trillions of dollars in risky mortgages due to the way that student loan debt is calculated during the mortgage process.
In “The Student-Debt Bubble Fueled a Housing Bubble,” Finley blamed student loan repayment plans, saying monthly payments are capped at 10% of discretionary income.
“Many student borrowers consequently aren’t paying down their debt, but it isn’t counted against them when they attempt…
By PATRICK LAVERY
It wasn’t a reversal by any means, but the Federal Reserve Board voted Wednesday to maintain the federal funds rate target range.
Following the July unfreezing of June’s pause, that range is, for now, staying at 5.25% to 5.5%.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, in remarks to the press following the board’s latest release on monetary policy, stated once again his “dual mandate” to stabilize prices while keeping employment high.
“Given how far we have come, we are in a position to proceed carefully as we assess the incoming data and the evolving outlook and risks,” Powell said. “Real interest rates now are well above mainstream estimates of the neutral policy rate, but we are mindful of…
By PATRICK LAVERY
With the end of the third quarter of 2023 in sight, indications are that the Federal Reserve will pause hiking its federal funds rate this week – as it did in June before again raising the target range in July – and investors will be watching closely on Wednesday to see if Chairman Jerome Powell gives any indication as to what they might do to end the calendar year.
The FOMC’s course of action, while holding no direct bearing on mortgage rates, acts as a strong indicator of what direction those rates will go in next. According to Business Insider, a pause on the part of the Fed won’t do much to move mortgage rates, currently above…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have awarded funding from a program established by the Inflation Reduction Act to owners of assisted multifamily housing properties and the money is going to climate-related investments.
The act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on Aug. 16, 2022, has done little to reduce inflation but is considered the most significant policy action on clean energy in United States history. It established the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, providing HUD with $837.5 million in grant and loan subsidy funding and $4 billion in loan commitment authority.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, money from the program will enable building owners to invest in geothermal…
