Mortgages

Mortgage rates fell this week to another record low, and are now over a full percentage point below where they were five years ago, according to Freddie Mac.

As of the end of July, there were more than 1 million past-due mortgages not in forbearance plans, and the majority likely would have qualified for forbearance under the CARES Act.

But an expected drop in refinancings as mortgage rates rise should more than cancel that out, resulting in declining overall volume through 2023.

Mortgage applications decreased 0.6% from one week earlier, although a slight drop in purchase volume belied the fact that consumers are taking advantage of the current rate environment, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The agency confirmed that loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can continue avoiding debt-to-income limits as the bureau completes a revamp of the Qualified Mortgage standard.

Minus various expenses including corporate, legal and servicing rights valuation, Ocwen had adjusted pretax income of $13.5 million.

A total of 34 states have offered coronavirus-related rental or mortgage assistance, much of which is funded by the CARES Act, according to the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

The overall forbearance rate was under 6% for the first time since April as another large swath of loans fell out of CARES Act coverage, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

While using the 30-day SOFR as its index, Freddie Mac structured the deal so it could shift to a one-month term if and when that rate is approved.

The CEO of SWBC Mortgage discusses her top priorities for the Mortgage Bankers Association, the election, the CFPB's seasoned QM proposal and what to expect at this week's conference.

This year will top the total volume generated in the housing boom year of 2003. Meanwhile, next year's 30-year FRM is predicted to stay at 2.8%.

As financial distress mounted, 12.4% of mortgagors missed payments across the second and third quarters of 2020 — and it could get worse, according to a study from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Just a week after commenting that the bottom on mortgage rates was possibly reached, Freddie Mac reported that they fell 6 basis points to another record low.

Mortgage applications decreased 0.7% from one week earlier, but lending activity should continue strong for the remainder of the year as rates stay low, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

While overall mortgage delinquency rates slowly descend, serious delinquencies — especially loans past 120 days due — jumped in July, according to CoreLogic.

Forbearance rates dropped below 7% for the first time in six months, but the decrease is largely due to the ending of the initial six-month term of forbearance granted by the legislation, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The recent decrease in the rate at which current loans became impaired could further encourage the cautious return of the non-QM market currently underway.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's overhaul of its Qualified Mortgage standard is alarming free-market advocates who say it will precipitate a return to easy credit and higher defaults and could disproportionately harm minorities.

Mortgage rates remained flat this week, a sign that the bottom has possibly been reached, but the housing market looks to remain strong for the near future, according to Freddie Mac.

The deal consists of 11,673 nonconforming first-lien mortgages, of which nearly all have been previously modified. Approximately 7% are in COVID-19-related forbearance.