Tag Archives: Credit Availability

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Mortgage Credit Availability Index, a measure of borrower eligibility and underwriting criteria from more than 85 lenders, moved up half a percentage point to 113.5 last month, building on an increase of two points recorded in January. Once again, the expansion in credit offerings in February was the result of offsetting factors, said MBA chief economist Mike Fratantoni.

After starting the year on a low note, consumer attitudes toward housing brightened overall in February, according to Fannie Mae. That renewed confidence in home prices spurred a boost in those saying now is a good time to buy a home; that number was up 3 percentage points to 68 percent. At the same time, though, the share of respondents saying they think it would be easy for them to get a mortgage right now retreated from January's all-time high.

Mortgage credit access opened up in January following a flat December, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) revealed Tuesday. MBA's Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), a gauge of lending standards measured with data from the AllRegs Market Clarity product, increased 1.85 percent to an even 113 last month. MBA's latest index fits with Fannie Mae's January National Housing Survey, in which more consumers expressed their belief that getting a mortgage today would be ""easy.""

Consumers apparently haven't gotten the memo that mortgage standards are tightening, if responses to Fannie Mae's January National Housing Survey are any indication: Fifty-two percent of respondents in the company's latest survey said they think it would be easy to get a mortgage today, reflecting a climb of 2 percentage points. The number of consumers saying it would be difficult to obtain a loan fell 3 points, meanwhile, dropping to 45 percent.

Homeowners surveyed by Redfin last month expressed greater confidence in the current selling environment, but many remain concerned about the difficulties they may face on the buyers' side of things. Denver Redfin agent Paul Stone captures survey-takers' sentiment, saying, ""Most of my home-selling clients worry the most about what will happen after they sell. With so much competition in the market, they fear they will have to move in with their in-laws if they can't find their next home quickly.""

The Federal Reserve released Monday its January 2014 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey, a poll examining changes in lending standards and demand in the latest quarter. Whether it was because of higher hurdles to clear or last year's rise in interest rates, a moderate fraction of banks reported a drop in demand for prime purchase mortgages, with a combined 47.9 percent saying demand was weaker. Only 19.7 percent saw greater consumer interest in prime residential loans.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) latest underwriting survey shows lending standards have continued to relax as banks duke it out over a dwindling market. Despite the drop in standards, examiners indicated risk in residential mortgage portfolios remained unchanged or decreased at 87 percent of banks. Still, OCC cautions banks to ensure they're giving "appropriate attention" to underwriting, loan structures, and loan administration.

While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) touts its recently enacted mortgage regulations as a "back-to-basics approach" to lending, not everyone agrees. Speaking on "Mortgage Markets Today," Chris Whalen, EVP and managing director for Carrington Holding Company, discussed the pitfalls in the new regulations with Louis Amaya, host of the Five Star Internet radio show and CEO of iServe Companies. Among other things, Whalen predicts politicians and regulators will see pressure to review the rules, which he says have gone too far.

As analysts continue to watch market indicators for trends that might hamper the borrowing experience, a recent poll shows that borrowers themselves are more focused on customer service problems.

WDB Funding, LLC, announced the appointment of Andrew Pollock as the firm's president and CEO. Pollock brings 25 years' experience heading large-scale lending operations to his new role, where he is responsible for providing day-to-day leadership, managing operations, and executing the strategic direction of the company.