MBA Newslinks Archive

“Thus far in 2016, average loan sizes for new homes have been higher than for the same period in 2015, but that gap has recently been declining.” –MBA Vice President of Research and Economics Lynn Fisher.

“Addressing the needs of limited English proficiency consumers is an issue that extends well beyond the mortgage marketplace, and well beyond the purview of the FHFA. If there is going to be a questions about the consumer’s language preference or other approach to help borrowers who lack English proficiency, they should only be proposed after all the relevant agencies have engaged in well-considered policy development and proposed rules for public comment.” –From a House letter, signed by 54 representatives, urging the Federal Housing Finance Agency to abandon a proposed question in the Uniform Residential Loan Application on a borrower’s language preference.

“Equity levels are rising nationwide for the most part. It seems borrowers are still being prudent when it comes to drawing upon that equity, though.”–Black Knight Data & Analytics Executive Vice President Ben Graboske.

“Credit availability decreased over the month driven primarily by a decrease in availability of conventional conforming loan offerings. In particular, a number of investors discontinued their conventional high balance seven-year adjustable rate loan programs while leaving their five-year and 10-year ARM programs unchanged.”–MBA Vice President of Research and Economics Lynn Fisher.

“U.S. businesses have had many curveballs thrown at them this year–concerns over the health of China’s economy, equity market volatility, weak U.S. GDP growth, now Brexit–many reasons to at least tap the breaks on expansion plans.”–Cushman & Wakefield Chief Economist Kevin Thorpe.

“Our explicit approach is ‘best of breed.’ We want our client to come to us and say, ‘this is what we need.’ These partnerships are critical to the success of our platforms. We want to work with the highest quality vendors as possible–so that it really adds value to our mutual clients.”–Linn Cook, senior communications manager with LendingQB, Irvine, Calif.

“The year has started off with more than its fair share of twists and turns. On the demand side, strong property fundamentals and prices should continue to support an active sales market, which will drive mortgage demand.” –MBA Vice President of Commercial/Multifamily Research and Economics Jamie Woodwell.

“Significant demand for office space in top markets that have added tens of thousands of workers during the past five years raised rents to their highest levels and pushed down vacancy rates to their lowest. Rent growth is most prominent in the large tech markets–office rents in the San Francisco Bay Area nearly double what they were five years ago. But the decrease in vacancy rate is present across both large and small tech markets.”–From a CBRE report on top tech markets.

“Better technology and standards in the loan application process combined with more time spent underwriting each loan application may be increasing the cost of loan production, but we continue to see clear benefits too. While the costs of compliance are higher and reducing the profitability of mortgage lending, there is long-term financial benefit to increased loan quality. Fewer defects and less misrepresentation will reduce repurchase risk and expenses for underwriters in the future.”–Mark Fleming, chief economist with First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.

“A successful diversity and inclusion program is not about meeting quotas. For example, just because we increase the amount of women in leadership does not mean we’ve successfully created an inclusive environment. People often focus on the numbers, not the environment that is driving the numbers. Numbers can be indicators, but they should not be drivers when it comes to measuring the success of a diversity and inclusion initiative. It is important to focus on creating a more enriched environment and the success and numbers will follow.”–LaShandra Sartor, Divisional Vice President of Business Consulting and leader of the Diversity and Inclusion team with Quicken Loans, Detroit.