Another shocking news headline! A new report by Trulia claims that the long-standing mortgage interest tax deduction available to all homeowners is mostly a benefit to white male homeowners (Inequality). Women and minorities are not getting the same benefit. The report goes on to show how a larger percentage of whites own homes (almost 63%), with the percent of those…
More good news on the housing front! Freddie Mac’s March 2016 Housing Outlook states that 2016 will be a banner year for housing. They forecast the best year in housing starts, home prices and home sales since 2006. Rock on housing… This prediction is based on continued low-interest rates, increasing job growth and a gradual increase in the housing supply.…
A recent Lender One survey found that many mortgage lenders are expressing confidence in the current housing market. About 62% of the lenders surveyed are expecting that mortgage lending for home purchases will increase by about 11% on average in 2016. That’s good news on the purchase front – but what about refi’s? In another study, the American Enterprise Institute…
Maybe secondary market investors and correspondent lenders can take a page out of Fannie’s and Freddie’s rep and warrants book. These agencies are not delaying the purchase, holding up funding or denying the purchase of loans originated and closed under the new TRID rules. They buy the loans originated by lenders for sale and delivery to them; either whole loan…
In honor of college basketball’s annual “Big Dance” held in March in which approximately 68 men’s teams compete for the NCAA Championship and ultimately boils down to the “Final Four.” It is a good time to reflect on the Four C’s of Single Family loan underwriting. They are Capacity, Credit, Cash and Collateral. Outlined below is a brief description of…
If you attended the recent Conference of Regional MBAs in Atlantic City, you heard Barry Habib, President of MBS Highway, talk about why he believes we may see another surge in refinances if/when the Fed raises short-term rates (Rates). Barry made a similar prediction last year of decreasing rates and was correct. We did see loan rates drop when the…
