MBA Newslinks Archive

“Two-thirds of the growth came from increases in multifamily mortgage debt outstanding, and 80 percent of that growth came from portfolios and [mortgage-backed securities] and held or guaranteed by federal government agencies and these government-sponsored enterprises.”–MBA Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Research Jamie Woodwell.

“Homes have gotten so expensive in many major cities that even with low mortgage rates, monthly costs for homes that are currently for sale are starting to be unaffordable. Down payments are a top concern for today’s homebuyers, but the reality is that monthly costs are becoming unaffordable as well.–Zillow Chief Economist Svenja Gudell.

“The rising cushion of home equity is one of the main drivers of improved mortgage performance. It also supports consumer balance sheets, spending and the broader economy.”–Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic.

“Credit availability slipped in May, primarily driven by investors consolidating their offerings for government insured loans. These decreases were partially offset by continued expansion among jumbo loan programs. The Jumbo MCAI has increased in 13 of the last 15 months.”–MBA Vice President of Research and Economics Lynn Fisher.

“The drop in overall production volume in the first quarter of 2017 resulted in the highest per-loan production expenses reported since inception of our study in the third quarter of 2008. While higher production revenues mitigated a portion of the cost increase, production profitability nonetheless declined by more than half the previous quarter.”–MBA Vice President of Industry Analysis Marina Walsh.

“While we have recently noted that part of the rise in overall risk is due to the market’s shift toward riskier purchase transactions, the fact that risk in refinance transactions is also on the rise underscores the need for caution.”–First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming.

“Brian has been active within MBA for more than twenty years as a thought leader in the commercial/multifamily space and as a member of the MBA Board of Directors. He brings technical knowledge, leadership and vision to the role and will clearly be an asset to MBA and the industry as a whole.”–MBA Chairman Rodrigo Lopez, CMB, on nomination of Brian Stoffers, CMB as 2018 MBA Vice Chairman.

“f you’re not plugged into the world, that’s not good. If you’re in your 40s or 50s, the world will continue on as you know it for a while, but it will be quickly supplanted.”–Scott Keith, managing director with RealINSIGHT, Irving, Texas.

“Despite laudable efforts by the Bureau, effective implementation by lenders is not feasible under the current schedule, as many outstanding issues remain unresolved. It is evident that several important steps have not yet been completed, making effective, timely implementation on the current schedule extremely difficult, if not impossible, for most institutions.”–MBA Senior Vice President of Residential Policy and Member Engagement Pete Mills, in an MBA letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“If mortgage rates, currently near 4%, rise further, this could deter more people from selling and keep pressure on inventories and prices. While prices cannot rise indefinitely, there is no way to tell when rising prices and mortgage rates will force a slowdown in housing.”–David Blitzer, Managing Director and Chairman of the Index Committee with S&P Dow Jones Indices, New York.