Origination

A bill designed to amend mortgage fee calculations under new industry rules cleared a major hurdle Monday, passing the House despite reservations from critics who say it may reopen the door to irresponsible lending. Introduced last year by a bipartisan group of representatives, H.R. 3211 would amend TILA to exempt fees from affiliated title companies from counting toward the 3 percent point and fee threshold established in the QM rule.

After a rough 2013—which saw average per-loan profits decline by nearly half year-over-year—mortgage banks are now losing money on each loan originated, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported Tuesday. According to the trade group, independent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a net loss of $194 on each loan originated in the first quarter of the year.

In a letter to clients, analysts at investment banking services firm FBR Capital Markets said they are lowering their 2014 origination outlook to $989 billion from an earlier forecast of nearly $1.1 trillion. "After an April where volumes had increased for the first time in a year, we had grown modestly more optimistic," the firm said. "Now, we believe May results could prove to be a leading indicator of what is shaping up to be the weakest ... year in recent memory."

Credit unions continued to grow during the first quarter of 2014, although higher interest rates slowed mortgage originations, according to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). The group reported that the pace of mortgage originations slowed in the first quarter, down to $42.6 billion in Q1 2014 from $102.9 billion in the first quarter of 2013.

In its latest survey results, Freddie Mac recorded the average 30-year fixed rate at 4.14 percent (0.5 point) for the week ending June 5, up from last week's average 4.12 percent. A year ago, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) was 3.91 percent and rising. The 15-year FRM also moved up this week, hitting an average of 3.23 percent (0.5 point).

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), a monthly gauge of credit access based on metrics and underwriting criteria from more than 85 lenders, increased 1.14 percent from April to May, reading 115.1 in the latest measure. According to the group, May's gain came "partially as a result of a slight increase in the availability of jumbo loans."

Using information reported weekly by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), research firm Capital Economics calculated a 2.0 percent rise in application volumes throughout May, a reversal from April's 4.8 percent drop. The increase came despite a 3.1 percent decline in the month's final week, bringing activity to a six-week low.

Caliber Home Loans, a Texas-based company specializing in residential mortgage origination and servicing, announced the launch of its new Non-Agency Mortgage Program designed to expand loan options for eligible and qualified consumers.

According to research results put out by TD Bank, 37 percent of homeowners who purchased within the last decade required MI. Looking at just the last two years, that number is up to 43 percent, reflecting the troubles buyers are having meeting normal down payment minimums as home prices march up. Of those who have had to go with insurance, 65 percent said the additional premium left them paying more than they had originally anticipated.

In its weekly released Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Freddie Mac found the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) was 4.12 percent (0.6 point) for the week ending May 29, down from 4.14 percent last week and the lowest 30-year fixed average since October 2013.