Origination

Although some recent reports are saying that homeownership is struggling, newer “super low down” loans are beginning to become more popular with millennials. It is estimated that, on average, it takes young people nearly a decade to save for a traditional 20 percent downpayment. In response, some lenders are implementing 3 percent equity mortgages.

Critical defects are down compared with Q1 of 2016, according to ACES Risk Management (ARMCO) in its Q4 Mortgage QC Industry Trends. The report details a breakdown of the final quarter of 2016, including defect rates and findings for each Fannie Mae loan category. It also predicts, with the continued understanding of TRID and its impact, critical loan defects should continue to trend downwards in 2017.

New data shows that mortgage originations are in freefall. While both purchase loan originations and refinances took a hit, refis saw the steepest drop, decreasing 34 percent over the first quarter of the year. Purchase originations dipped 21 percent over the same period. The average credit score of borrower is also on the decline, which could dampen the market if the trend keeps up.

Wells Fargo Home Lending announced that Liz Bryant will now lead the company’s retail sales organization reporting to Head of Mortgage Production, Michael DeVito.

As previously predicted, mortgage rates reacted to the recent drop in the Treasury yield, falling this week to a 2017 low. However, these low rates may soon bounce back, with 30 percent of mortgage professionals polled predicting that next week will see a rise in rates. For now, the industry is experiencing an increase in loan applications as applicants move to take advantage of the favorable market.

In July, liens and judgments data will no longer be included in traditional credit scores. In order to fill that gap, CBCInnovis will be offering the LexisNexis RiskView Liens and Judgments Report to lenders. Being that borrowers who have a judgment or tax lien are more likely to end up in pre-foreclosure or foreclosure, CBCInnovis hopes this information will be helpful to lenders.

Factual Data announced Thursday that they will be offering the LexisNexis RiskView Liens & Judgments Report to lenders. Due to liens and judgments data being discontinued in traditional credit scores, Factual Data intends to bridge the gap. Mortgage lenders, who have relied on this data for over two decades, now have an alternative plan after the July cutoff.

According to a new report, the average FICO score of an American mortgage borrower has hit its lowest point since 2008. Currently, the average borrower has a FICO score of just 729. Broken down by lender type, borrowers of bank-originated loans have an average FICO score of 743, while borrowers of independent, non-bank loans have an average score of 719.

According to a recent report, if American homeowners moved at the same rate they did in 1990, there would have been about 2.8 million more homes sold in 2016. This would solve the ongoing inventory problem, but the fact is Americans just aren’t moving, for a number of reasons. The report cites three possible reasons for a non-moving population: an aging population, pockets of high negative equity, and an increase in single-family rentals.

Cities are starting to run out of space. Especially space-constrained cities like New York have started to run out of room for builders, leading them to move to city-center areas where high-density building is allowed, and charging much higher prices for it. Builders are focusin more on high end apartments with better profit margins, leaving only the wealthiest residents as the ones who can buy.