Refinance

The lender claims the offering is the only one of its kind in today's mortgage market.

Purchases managed a small rise, but refinance activity held steady, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Activity fell despite an ongoing slide in rates, but elevated interest in VA loans, particularly refinances, managed to lift the government-sponsored index higher by a fraction, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Purchase and refinance mortgages continued their slide as total origination volume was $475.5 billion during the final months of 2022, down 56% from the end of 2021.

Lenders that offer streamlined refinances in the future shouldn't be required to consider the borrower's income or employment status, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The trade group's comments were part of its response to a request for information on mortgage products that would support the financial stability of households.

In the face of a growing number in home-equity products, HECM endorsements dropped nationwide by over 43% on a monthly basis to its lowest point in more than two years.

Average purchase-loan amounts shrank for the second week in a row and are currently 12% below their record size in March.

Purchase lending grew despite headwinds in mortgage rates and rising home values.

But rising rates and tightening affordability are slowing appreciation rates, Black Knight found in its latest Mortgage Monitor report.

Rising debt-to-income ratios were behind almost a third of refinance rejections among those 65 and older, according to an analysis from the Urban Institute.