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"Home buyers have persisted this spring despite daunting affordability challenges and record-low inventory," said Jeff Tucker, Senior Economist at Zillow.

MortgagePoint speaks with mortgage servicing execs from BOK Financial, Carrington, the NMSA, PHH Mortgage Corporation, and Servbank about the unusual times and unusual opportunities the industry faces midway through 2023.

Taylor Marr, Deputy Chief Economist for Redfin, recently sat down with MortgagePoint to discuss recent migration trends, the direction of the market, and much more. Click through to hear his insights on the state of the nation’s housing landscape.

Nearing levels last recorded in November 2022, Freddie Mac reports the fixed-rate mortgage rose 15 basis points week-over-week and edged closer to the 7%-mark.

"The Federal Reserve has increased rates every time it has met for over a year, so the pause on rate hikes last month and the fact that we've likely reached a near peak may offer some respite for buyers," said Steve Kaminski, Head of U.S. Residential Lending for TD Bank.

Despite mortgage rates reaching their highest levels since November 2022, overall app volume rose week-over-week, led by an increase in both FHA and VA purchase applications.

The sales numbers may not be where lenders would like to see them yet, but people do want to buy, according to new research, and Matthew Woodhouse of ServiceLink breaks down what homebuyers are saying, and what lenders can do to win their business.

While a small fraction of RON transactions may involve fraudulent activity, Brooke Adams of Stavvy discusses the advanced tools at the disposal of the industry to stay ahead of bad actors.

“Mortgage credit availability was essentially unchanged in June, remaining close to the lowest level since early 2013, as the industry continues to operate at reduced capacity,” said Joel Kan, Mortgage Bankers Association VP and Deputy Chief Economist.

The Department has initiated public housing inspections under the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate rule to address substandard rental properties and promote compliance with health and safety standards.