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Mortgage credit availability decreased in July, according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) that analyzes data from ICE Mortgage Technology.
“Mortgage credit availability declined to its lowest level since 2013, as lenders pulled back on underutilized loan programs and as liquidity concerns remain for some jumbo lenders,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s VP and Deputy Chief Economist. "Declining origination volumes have led to lower profitability for many lenders, resulting in narrower loan product offerings to reduce operational costs. "
The MCAI fell by 0.3% to 96.3 in July. A decline in the MCAI indicates that lending standards are tightening, while increases in the index are indicative of loosening credit.
The index was benchmarked to 100 in March 2012. The Conventional MCAI decreased 0.5%, while the Government MCAI decreased by 0.1%.
Of the component indices of the Conventional MCAI, the Jumbo MCAI decreased by 0.8%, and the Conforming MCAI rose by 0.2%.
"One key driver of this month’s decline was a drop in cash-out refinance loan programs," said Kan. "The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.94% in July, more than a percentage point higher than July 2022, and this has significantly discouraged cash-out refinance activity, as borrowers turn to home equity and consumer loans instead. The jumbo index fell for the third straight month, as jumbo lenders further reduce the number of available loan programs.”
To read the full release, including more data, charts, and methodology, click here.
