MBA, Trade Groups Urge HUD to Modify FHA Forbearance Indemnification Policy

Sixteen industry trade organizations joined the Mortgage Bankers Association in a letter this week to HUD, expressing concerns with a recently announced FHA policy requiring lenders to provide 20 percent indemnification of the original loan amount for up to two years in relation to borrowers who enter into forbearance due to COVID19-related hardship after closing and prior to FHA insuring their loan.

CoreLogic: Delinquencies Stay Low Despite Pandemic Impact

CoreLogic, Irvine, Calif., said its analysis of March mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures found despite the early impact of the coronavirus pandemic, delinquencies remained relatively low.

FHFA Announces Next Steps for GSE UMBS Pooling Practices

The Federal Housing Finance Agency yesterday directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to “further align their practices for evaluating seller and servicer prepayment related activities.”

MBA Survey: Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Slows to 8.53%

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest Forbearance and Call Volume Survey reported loans now in forbearance increased to 8.53% of mortgage servicers’ portfolio volume as of May 31, compared to 8.46% the prior week.

Black Knight: 1 in 10 Homeowners in Forbearance Hold 10% or Less Equity in Their Homes

Black Knight, Jacksonville, Fla., said with its analysis of borrowers in forbearance showing forbearance volumes falling for the first time since the crisis began, industry participants – especially servicers and mortgage investors – must now shift from pipeline growth to pipeline management and downstream performance of loans in forbearance.

FHA, CFPB Issue New Guidance on Forbearance

The Federal Housing Administration and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced new policies to assist mortgage borrowers impacted by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

MBA: IMBs Report Strong First Quarter

Independent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a net gain of $1,600 on each loan they originated in the first quarter, up from $1,182 per loan in the fourth quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s newly released Quarterly Mortgage Bankers Performance Report.

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“If a hurricane causes significant storm surge damage during a time when mortgage delinquencies are already high, this could result in additional losses for homeowners, lenders and insurers –- and ultimately, delay economic recovery for impacted communities.”

–CoreLogic Chief Economist Frank Nothaft.

2020 Storm Surge Forecast Sees 7.4 Million Residences at Risk

Okay, just to recap: So far in 2020, we’ve had the COVID-19 pandemic; partial collapse of the U.S. economy; no spring home buying season; dam breaches in Michigan; one of the busiest tornado seasons this decade; and, God help us, “murder hornets.” Now it’s June, and the official start of North American hurricane season.