Loan Apps Plummet As Recession Worries Grow

Mortgage loan application volume fell by 5.4% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased by 5.4%. The adjusted purchase index dropped 4%, while the unadjusted purchase index increased by 7% and was 17% lower YOY. The refinance index fell by 8% and made up 29.6% of total applications, down 78% from the same time last year. ARM activity fell to 9.5% of total applications.  “Mortgage rates decreased for the second week in a row, as growing concerns over an economic slowdown and increased recessionary risks kept Treasury yields lower. Mortgage rates have increased sharply thus far in 2022 but have fallen 24 basis points…

Loan Applications Remain Basically Flat After A Slight 0.7% Increase

Mortgage loan application volume rose slightly by 0.7% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased by 0.7%. The adjusted purchase index rose 0.1%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell by 21% and was 24% lower YOY. The refinance index rose by 2% and made up 30.3% of total applications, down 80% from the same time last year. ARM activity fell to 10.1% of total applications.  “Mortgage rates continue to experience large swings. After increasing 65 basis points during the past three weeks, the 30-year fixed rate declined 14 basis points last week to 5.84%,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Associate Vice President of Economic and…

Application Volume Rises Despite Rate Surge

Mortgage loan application volume rose by 4.2% last week despite rates surging to their highest point since November 2008, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased by 4.2%. The adjusted purchase index rose 8%, while the unadjusted purchase index was up by 6% and was 10% lower YOY. The refinance index dropped by 3% and made up 29.7% of total applications. Refi volume is down 77% in the last year. ARM activity rose to 10.6% of total applications.  Mortgage rates increased by 33 basis points to 5.98%, their highest since 2008 and the largest single-week increase since 2009. MBA Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry…

Applications Drop Another 6.5%

Mortgage loan application volume dropped by 6.5%, the fifth decrease in six weeks, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell by 6.5%. The adjusted purchase index fell 7%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell by 18% and was 21% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 6% and was down 75% YOY, though refinances made up a higher share of total applications (32.2%, up from 31.5%) as purchase applications dwindle. ARM activity fell to 8.2% of total applications.  “Weakness in both purchase and refinance applications pushed the market index down to its lowest level in 22 years. The 30-year fixed-rate increased to 5.4% after three consecutive declines.…

Morning Roundup (6/2/2022) – Foreclosures Rising, Loan Applications Fall

Good Morning! Today is Thursday, June 2. A man carrying a rifle and a handgun killed four people and wounded several others inside a medical office building in Tulsa. The U.S. will airlift baby formula from Europe. Doctors transplanted a 3-D printed ear made from human cells. The Mortgage Note Reports Foreclosure Bump: Zombie foreclosures rose 3% from Q1 to Q2 2022, the first increase in a year, as overall foreclosure activity jumped 13%. Apps Down: Mortgage loan application volume dropped another 2.3%, the fourth decrease in five weeks and the lowest level since December 2018. Most Popular: In May, our story on bidding wars in the rental market was the most popular story posted on social media. What topics would you like to see covered? Email Editor Kimberley Haas…

Applications Drop To Lowest Level Since December 2018

Mortgage loan application volume dropped another 2.3%, the fourth decrease in five weeks and the lowest level since December 2018, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell by 2.3%. The adjusted purchase index fell 1%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell by 2% and was 14% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 5% and was down 75% YOY. Refinances made up 31.5% of total applications. ARM activity fell to 8.7% of total applications.  “With the 30-year fixed rate at 5.33%, the refinance market continues to shrink, led by larger decreases last week for FHA and VA refinance applications. The refinance index was 75% below last year’s…

Affordability Declining As Monthly Payments Eat Up The Typical Borrower’s Income

The national median payment applied for by homebuyers rose 8.8% to $1,889 in April, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Purchase Applications Payment Index (PAPI). PAPI measures changes in monthly mortgage payments relative to income across time. An increase shows the payment to income ratio is up due to increasing application loan amounts or mortgage rates, or a decline in earnings. The national PAPI was up 7.8% to 162.7 in April. This shows affordability declining as payments increase, accounting for a larger share of a typical person’s income. The index is up 27% YOY. Borrowers in the 25th percentile of prices saw their mortgage payment rise 9.6% to $1,236. “Rapid home-price growth, low inventory, and an 80-basis-point surge in…

72% Of Sellers Plan To Buy Another Home This Year

Seller-buyers are making a splash this spring, with 72% of home sellers also planning to buy their next one this year, according to a new survey from Realtor.com. Realtor partnered with HarrisX to survey homeowners nationwide. The results showed a market flooded with younger seller-buyers looking for more affordable homes to accommodate growing families. Millennials are the most active seller-buyers in the market (47%). Gen Z, the youngest market-ready cohort, came in second at 25%, followed by Gen X (15%) and Baby Boomers (12%). Most seller-buyers said they planned to buy a home first, then list their current home (46%), the choice that offers the most flexibility. Another 44% said they plan to sell and buy at the same time,…

Loan Applications Fall Further As Market Shows Signs Of Cooling

Mortgage loan application volume dropped another 1.2% after plunging by 11% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell by 1.2%. The adjusted purchase index didn’t budge, moving 0%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell by 1% and was 16% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 4% and was down 75% YOY. Refinances made up 32.3% of total applications. ARM activity fell to 9.4% of total applications.  “The 30-year fixed rate declined for the second straight week to 5.46% but remains well above what borrowers were used to over the past two years. Most refinance borrowers continue to remain on the sidelines as a result,…

Loan Apps Tank By 11% After Slight Increase Last Week

After ticking up 2% last week, mortgage loan application volume tanked by 11% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell by 11%. The adjusted purchase index fell by 12%, while the unadjusted purchase index fell by 12% as well and was 15% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 10% and was down 76% YOY. Refinances made up 33% of total applications, up from 32.4%.  “Mortgage applications decreased for the first time in three weeks, as mortgage rates – despite declining last week – remained over two percentage points higher than a year ago and close to the highest levels since 2009. For borrowers looking…