New mortgage fee won't debut until after spring homebuying season
Industry groups continue to object to new Fannie and Freddie fee aimed at some riskier borrowers as a burden on lenders and middle-class consumers
by Matt Carter Mar 17
Mortgage rates nosedive in fallout from Silicon Valley Bank failure
Bank failures and slowdown in wage growth have forecasters thinking the Federal Reserve will back off from aggressive rate hike campaign when it meets next week
by Matt Carter Mar 13
Guaranteed Rate rolls out 'Same Day Mortgage' nationwide
Properties must be eligible for an appraisal waiver, and like Better's 'One Day Mortgage,' some fine print can stand in the way of getting a loan approved in 24 hours
by Matt Carter Mar 7
Fannie and Freddie keep building capital reserves as profits shrink
By one measure, the mortgage giants have built up two-thirds of the reserves needed for them to be released from government conservatorship
by Matt Carter Feb 27
Disparity in mortgage rates offered by lenders doubled in 2022: Study
Homebuyers can potentially save $600 to $1,200 a year by applying for a mortgage with multiple lenders, according to a new analysis released Thursday by mortgage giant Freddie Mac
by Matt Carter Feb 21
federal flood insurance lapse
Study led by economists at the Environmental Defense Fund identifies some surprising regions, such as Appalachia and northern New England, as overvaluation hotspots
by Matt Carter Feb 16
Vishal Garg is back, with plan to save Better: The 'One Day Mortgage'
Comparing himself to Henry Ford and Elon Musk, CEO says he's reconfigured Better's assembly line to crank out mortgages in a single day
by Matt Carter Jan 25
Rates may ease, but affordability tools will still be in demand
Zillow, UWM executives are optimistic mortgage rates will come back down but advised real estate agents at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday to get familiar with affordability tools
by Matt Carter Jan 24
NAR: New Fannie and Freddie mortgage fees will hit middle class
The mortgage giants' federal regulator eliminates upfront fees for first-time homebuyers of limited means, but some better-off borrowers will see increases starting May 1
by Matt Carter Jan 20
After banner year, mortgage brokers seek more political clout
The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts, a trade group representing mortgage brokers, launched a PAC and more than doubled its spending on lobbying in 2022
by Matt Carter Dec 30
The biggest mortgage, lending and housing finance stories of 2022
The industry dodged a meltdown, but skyrocketing mortgage rates fueled a rush to 'right size' and helped crown a new leader in mortgage lending
by Matt Carter Dec 28
Bah humbug! Mortgage rates fall, but holidays curtail buyer demand
It's a slow time of year for homebuying, so it's not surprising to Mortgage Bankers Association Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni that purchase applications didn't jump last week
by Matt Carter Dec 21
Homebuyers have appetite for down payment assistance info, Zillow says
Zillow revealed Thursday that 1M users have queried its Down Payment Resource database since the real estate search portal partnered with the data provider a year ago as home prices soared
by Matt Carter Dec 15
Reduced refi fears could help ease pressure on mortgage rates
Mortgage investors have been demanding higher yields because of fears of prepayment risk if the loans they're funding now are refinanced when rates fall
by Matt Carter Dec 13
Tomo enters 5 new states, launches real-time preapproval process
After laying off workers in May, Tomo is in expansion mode again with launches in Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington D.C.
by Matt Carter Dec 1