The spread between mortgage rates and Treasury rates is impacted by several factors, including the level of interest rate volatility and the relative demand/supply balance of the two types of securities. In recent months, rate volatility has diminished, as the future course of monetary policy has become clearer and financial markets have been relatively calm. Last week’s announcement that the GSEs will increase their purchases of MBS brought the spread in further, and mortgage rates dropped further over the course of the week.
Category: News and Trends
Commercial, Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding Increased in Third-Quarter 2025
The level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by $53.4 billion (1.1%) in the third quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding quarterly report.
Optimal Blue Reports Lock Volume Closes 2025 on Firm Footing
Mortgage rate-lock activity ended the year on a firm footing, bucking typical holiday-driven seasonality, according to Optimal Blue, Plano, Texas.
Realtor.com Finds More Mortgages Now Above 6% Than Below 3%
Realtor.com, Santa Clara, Calif., reported that in the third quarter of 2025, 20% of outstanding mortgages had an interest rate below 3%. But, 21.2% were at a rate of 6% or above, an increase of four percentage points year-over-year.
FundingShield: Issues Per Transaction at All-Time High in Q4
FundingShield, Newport Beach, Calif., released its Q4 2025 fraud analytics report, finding that problematic loans exhibited an average of 3.2 issues per transaction–an all-time high.
ATTOM: Foreclosure Activity Increased in 2025
ATTOM, Irvine, Calif., found that foreclosure filings — default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported on 367,460 U.S. properties in 2025, up 14% from 2024 and up 3% from 2023.
Redfin Reports Housing Payments Drop to Lowest Level in Two Years
The median monthly housing payment fell to $2,365 during the four weeks ending Jan. 4–down 4.7% from a year earlier and the lowest level since early 2024, according to Redfin, Seattle.
Experian: Market Sees Both Challenges, Optimism
Experian, Costa Mesa, Calif., released its 2026 State of the U.S. Housing Market Report, finding a market “in flux” and identifying a number of key trends.
AD Mortgage Examines Homeownership Down Payment Timelines
The time it takes for typical household to save for a down payment varies widely across the U.S., AD Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., found in a new report.
MISMO Announces 2026 Board of Directors
MISMO, the real estate finance industry’s standards organization, announced its 2026 Board of Directors, reflecting a strong roster of mortgage industry leaders aligned to address critical issues and trends facing the mortgage industry, including artificial intelligence, digitization and regulatory complexity.