Mortgage rates

Lagging construction, rising interest rates and the broader economy don't really bode well for buyers of commercial real estate, but most CRE lenders still expect originations to increase in 2019, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Falling mortgage rates have reached the point where they are spurring speculation about a possible resurgence in refinancing.

Mortgage servicing assets are poised for gains in 2019. But as higher average mortgage rates spur lenders to sell servicing rights and diversify their loan offerings, servicers' work will also get more complicated and costly.

Average mortgage rates plunged after the United Kingdom first voted to leave the European Union. With uncertainty now growing about how Brexit will actually happen, here's a look at the implications for the housing market and mortgage lending.

Consolidation is coming in the mortgage industry, but a protracted timetable will continue to constrict industry profits.

Volatility in the stock market caused the growth in the top 5% of average home sale prices to slow more than the rest of the market, according to Redfin.

The sustained rise in home values will boost Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's loan limits for 2019, marking the second consecutive year in which it increased by nearly 7%.

Subprime originations are climbing in multiple consumer loan categories, including mortgages, but the increase is much smaller in the home loan sector than it is in other markets, according to TransUnion.

Bank jumbo mortgage underwriting standards weakened in the third quarter by the most in three years and as profitability remains under pressure, loosening should continue at an accelerated pace, a Moody's report said.

The Urban Institute's conclusion is based on estimates that one-year SOFR rates could be 25 to 50 basis points lower than the current Libor equivalent.

Fannie Mae has priced more securities that support a transition away from the London interbank offered rate.

High property values and low mortgage rates pushed commercial and multifamily originations beyond their projected totals in 2017 to a new market peak, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Congressional Budget Office has found that restructuring the mortgage market would save the government billions of dollars but may increase the cost of housing.

The 30-day delinquency rate dropped to a low not seen in over a decade in July, but foreclosure starts also increased to a three-month high.

Intensifying margin pressure could spur another wave of cost-cutting at nonbank mortgage lenders, unless other strategies, like consolidation or a mortgage servicing book that could increase in value, offset it.

The expiration of Annaly Capital Management's offer to purchase MTGE Investment Corp. was delayed until Sept. 7 so the two real estate investment trusts have more time to satisfy deal conditions.

Fannie Mae has issued securities supporting the transition away from the London interbank offered rate; something that could become more pressing for lenders if adjustable-rate mortgages were to become more prevalent.

Banks would welcome a proposal to loosen Basel III capital restrictions because it would make holding mortgage servicing rights easier and stem the recent exodus of depositories from the servicing business, executives said.

As inflation fears put upward pressure on 10-year Treasury bonds and mortgage rates nationally, borrowers could start to take more notice of what lenders are charging them locally.