By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Changes to fees for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are under scrutiny after recent reports that homebuyers with good credit scores and substantial down payments will pay more starting May 1.
Last week, The Washington Times published an article with the headline “Biden to hike payments for good-credit homebuyers to subsidize high-risk mortgages.” Author Dave Boyer, a White House correspondent, wrote that although the changes are part of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s push to make housing more affordable, they will negatively impact traditional borrowers.
“Mortgage industry specialists say homebuyers with credit scores of 680 or higher will pay, for example, about $40 per month more on a home loan of $400,000. Homebuyers who…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Mortgage originations are expected to decline in 2023 as market factors continue to present challenges for those in the industry.
Michael Fratantoni, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s chief economist and senior vice president of research and industry technology, said during a session at the National Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC, this week that after the whirlwind of 2020 and 2021, the residential slowdown which started in 2022 will continue through this year.
“This has been an extraordinarily tough couple of years for mortgage lenders. Origination volume dropped 50% from ’21 to ’22,” Fratantoni said. “We’re forecasting another 20% decline in 2023 to a level of about $1.8 trillion.”
Although the recent banking market uncertainty has not helped, Fratantoni…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Members of the Mortgage Bankers Association are gathered in Washington this week to advocate for legislative reforms that could benefit the industry and consumers.
The National Advocacy Conference started on Tuesday morning at the JW Marriott with a general session about the current political landscape. Robert Broeksmit, president and CEO of the MBA, told those in attendance that elected representatives want to know what is happening in their states and how they can better serve their constituents.
While highlighting victories for the industry, Broeksmit said he was delighted that Federal Housing Administration Commissioner Julia Gordon announced a reduction in mortgage insurance premiums at the MBA Servicing Solutions Conference & Expo in Orlando this past February.
It’s a…
Salt Lake City was a pandemic hot spot but as the housing market evens out across the nation, one senior loan officer who works in the metropolitan area says buyers are seeing some relief.
According to data from Redfin, home prices in Salt Lake City were down 8.5% in March compared to last year, selling for a median price of $540,000.
The city was ranked fifth on a recent Realtor.com list of the 10 U.S. cities where home sales were down the most, in part because fewer out-of-state buyers are relocating to the “Silicon Slopes.” In November 2021, there were 1,506 sales, compared to 708 in November of 2022.
Cory Ure works at SecurityNational Mortgage Company in Salt Lake City.…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Leaders at Rocket Companies in Detroit have launched a credit card designed for potential homebuyers and homeowners.
Cardholders can earn 5% back – up to $8,000 – to use for closing costs and down payments with the Rocket Visa Signature Card. Homeowners with loans serviced by Rocket Mortgage can use points to receive 2% of their card spending for their unpaid principal balance, according to a press release.
The card is integrated with Rocket Money, a personal finance app with more than 3.4 million members. Co-Founder and CEO Haroon Mokhtarzada said since joining Rocket Companies at the end of 2021, they have been able to help users plan for their financial future.
“After honing their budgets, we’re…
As technology improves, the concept of valuation modernization is gaining traction and some industry leaders say in a few years in-person appraisals could be a novelty instead of the norm.
Last month, leaders at Fannie Mae announced an update to their selling guide which includes newly available valuation options. They said valuation modernization helps lenders, appraisers, and risk investors manage collateral risk more efficiently while also benefiting customers with greater appraisal accuracy, lower costs, and an increased speed of loan decisions.
Matt Stepanovich, vice president of national sales, hybrid valuations and quality control at SingleSource Property Solutions, recently sat down with Editor Kimberley Haas to talk about what he is seeing.
SingleSource, located in Canonsburg, Penn., is a nationwide service…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
A California apartment building owner who suggested a couple move into a bigger unit to accommodate their growing family is being charged with discrimination by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials.
Melinda Teruel is accused of making repeated efforts to convince the couple to move into a larger apartment in the city of Burlingame even though they told her they could not afford it. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against families with children under the age of 18.
“As HUD prepares to commemorate Fair Housing Month during April 2023, this charge of discrimination is a reminder that the fight for fair housing must continue,” Demetria McCain, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing…
Industry leaders are rallying around a federal bill that would permit the nationwide use of remote online notarization.
The Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act, H.R. 1509, establishes national standards for remote and electronic notarizations. The legislation requires the creation and retention of video and audio recordings, as well as the use of communication technologies such as video chats during remote notarizations. It passed the House on Feb. 27.
Leaders at the Mortgage Bankers Association support remote online notarization on the state and national level. They say the bill’s requirements are consistent with industry standards.
“The bill’s minimum standards for RON are consistent with both the MBA-ALTA model state RON bill and the Mortgage Industry Standards…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
A Florida mortgage broker challenging United Wholesale Mortgage’s ultimatum agreement wants to include recent disclosures and statements related to the company’s successes to help prove his antitrust claims.
Daniel Okavage of The Okavage Group in St. Augustine is pursuing a federal class-action suit on behalf of all mortgage brokers that work, or have worked, with UWM and sustained damages after the company’s CEO, Mat Ishbia, announced in March of 2021 they could no longer simultaneously do business with Rocket Pro TPO or Fairway Independent Mortgage.
Okavage’s attorney, Robert Goodman, says thousands of brokers were cut off from opportunities to refer customers to the mortgage lender of their choice, resulting in business losses.
Lawyers for UWM have moved…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS
Leaders at First Citizens Bank and Trust Company have entered into an agreement to acquire Silicon Valley Bridge Bank.
Silicon Valley Bridge Bank was created by officials at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on March 13 after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. All deposits, insured and uninsured, substantially all assets, and all qualified financial contracts of Silicon Valley Bank were transferred to the bridge bank.
According to a press release, through an agreement with officials at the FDIC, First Citizens will assume Silicon Valley Bridge Bank’s assets of $110 billion, deposits of $56 billion, and loans of $72 billion.
“Today’s transaction included the purchase of about $72 billion of Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, National Association’s assets…
