Tag Archives: Wells Fargo

In its latest forecast, Wells Fargo's Economics Group cited a number of reasons optimistic housing market predictions for next year, namely easing of credit, job and income growth, and mortgage rates near their lowest levels in a generation.

Mortgage lenders originated an estimated $320 billion in loans throughout Q3, according to information collected by Mortgage Daily. While up nearly 8 percent from the second quarter's total of about $300 billion, third-quarter volumes fell short of year-ago levels by 31 percent.

According to a report from Bloomberg, lawyers for both sides told a judge on Tuesday they’re doubtful about the chances of reaching an agreement on a suit alleging the bank fraudulently submitted loans for insurance through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

Wells Fargo, the nation's top mortgage lender, had agreed to sell $39 billion worth of mortgage servicing rights to Atlanta-based Ocwen, the nation's largest non-bank mortgage servicer, early this year. In February 2014, the transaction was delayed indefinitely by Benjamin Lawsky, head of New York's Department of Financial Services.

While home sales prices posted moderate gains in September, the housing market recovery as a whole is moving slowly, according to the Wells Fargo Economics Group Housing Wrap Up for October 2014.

Third-quarter profits improved annually at two of the nation's biggest megabanks, though mortgage banking results were mixed. For the latest completed quarter, JPMorgan Chase reported net income of $5.6 billion compared to a loss of $380 million a year ago. On the other side of the country, Wells Fargo posted profits of $5.7 billion for the quarter, up from $5.6 billion in Q3 2013 and flat from Q2 2014.

Now that the overall economy is on more solid ground, Wells Fargo economists suggest that housing may soon follow in its footsteps. While some predict that the housing market is poised for more rentals than buys for years to come, particularly among millennials, Wells Fargo suggests the contrary.

HUD announced a $5 million settlement with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to resolve allegations that Wells Fargo discriminated against women who were either pregnant or on maternity leave. Among other accusations, the six complaints allege that Wells Fargo made loans unavailable to families based on familial status and forced women to give up their maternity leave and return to work before their loans closed.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported Monday that personal consumption expenditures increased $57.5 billion—0.5 percent—month-over-month in August. The increase in spending followed a meager revised increase of less than 0.1 percent for July. Spending was helped by a 0.3 percent pickup in personal income, totaling an increase of $47.3 billion.

In a poll of more than 2,000 consumers, Wells Fargo found 68 percent feel that now is a good time to buy a home, and 95 percent want to own if they don't already. On the other hand, while nearly three-quarters of respondents in Wells Fargo's survey said they "know and understand" the financial process involved in buying a home, large numbers also expressed doubt or misguided notions about homebuying requirements.