The American Enterprise Institute's (AEI) International Center on Housing Risk reported another rise in mortgage origination risk in January, marking five straight months of increasingly risky lending. Researchers at the center say the rise in risk is due to a shift in market share from large banks to non-banks, whose practices are "substantially riskier than the large bank business."
Read More »Leading Economic Indicators Lose Momentum in January
The Conference Board reported a 0.2 percent month-over-month increase in its Leading Economic Index (LEI), putting the measure at 121.1. The index, which measures early growth signs as a gauge of future economic developments, had increased 0.4 percent in December and 0.3 percent in November.
Read More »Auction.com Appoints EVP, Chief Legal Officer
After four months serving as interim general counsel for the company, Auction.com has named Lee Leslie as EVP and chief legal officer.
Read More »Home Affordability Inches Up in Q4
Using home price data from CoreLogic, NAHB estimated that 62.8 percent of homes sold at the national median price in Q4 were affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $63,900. That figure was up 1 percentage point from the third quarter.
Read More »Profits Shrink at Fannie Mae
For all of 2014, Fannie reported profits totaling $14.2 billion, down from $84 billion in 2013. Like its sister company, Freddie Mac, Fannie's 2013 results got a major boost from a one-time benefit related to deferred tax assets and a surge in funds from securities settlements.
Read More »LenderLive Appoints EVP of Operations and Client Management
In Colorado, LenderLive Network recently introduced its newest addition: Shana Lakso has joined the company has EVP of operations and client management for its mortgage services units.
Read More »Survey Finds Low Satisfaction, High Hopes Among Originators
In its fifth annual survey of loan originators, national recruiting firm Hammerhouse LLC found that out of more than 800 respondents, 56 percent are finding that while they still consider their job rewarding—both personally and financially—it's now less so than it was in the past.
Read More »Mortgage Rates Pick Up for Second Straight Week
Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) was 3.76 percent (0.6 point) for the week ending February 19, up from 3.69 percent a week ago and the highest rate since 2014's final reading.
Read More »Refi Share Makes Comeback in January
Based on a sample of loans originated on the company's platform, Ellie Mae reported that refinances accounted for 51 percent of loan volume in January, a jump of 8 percentage points from December. The spike put refinance share at its highest in more than a year and a half.
Read More »Freddie Mac Ekes Out Profit Despite Derivative Losses
For the last three months of 2014, Freddie pulled in $227 million in net income, the company said Thursday, a drop of nearly $2 billion from Q3. The sharp drop came from derivative losses, which totaled $3.4 billion for the quarter as interest rates fell.
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