Origination

Despite the unfavorable odds including inventory shortages, continued home price appreciation, and stagnant household income growth, existing-home sales continue to emerge triumphant, and that odd-defying trend is expected to continue.

Although interest rates have been at historical lows, they have been highly responsive to the general level of interest rates, causing originators' profits to suffer.

Lenders have various loan origination system (LOS) choices available today to ensure that their operations run smoothly, but choosing the right one can be trickier than it seems. Editor's note: This select print feature appears in the May 2016 edition of MReport magazine.

Wells Fargo is launching a new low-down payment mortgage program for first-time and lower-income borrowers that could be the bank’s way out from under the shadow of the Federal Housing Administration.

New single-family home sales did something remarkable this month. Sales in this sector rose significantly month-over-month and year-over-year to reach the highest level since 2008 despite falling inventory levels.

What factors have led to improved credit performance of jumbo residential mortgage-backed securities?

According to the American Enterprise Institute’s International Center on Housing Risk, first-time buyer volume has jumped 18 percent since April of last year, totaling 98,000 first-time buyer loans for the entire month.

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the SAFE Transitional Licensing Act by voice vote. The bill could alter the way that mortgage loan officers at a federally-insured institution move to nonbank lenders.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will release the second of three estimates for the nation's first quarter GDP growth this week. In the advance estimate for the first quarter released in late April, the BEA reported GDP growth to be a weak 0.5 percent.

Existing-homes sales have been up against unfavorable odds including inventory shortages, soaring home price appreciation, and stagnant household income growth. However, they defied those odds and came out on top for the second consecutive month.