Category: News and Trends

For the overwhelming majority of Americans–and mortgage lenders and servicers–there’s more good news on mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures.

The commercial mortgage-backed securities delinquency rate fell again in August for the sixth consecutive month, but large loans liquidated with high loss severities drove up the second quarter’s loss severity figure, analysts said.

Black Knight, Jacksonville, Fla., said despite slower home price growth, U.S. tappable equity surpassed $6 trillion for the first time, impacting 44 million homeowners with mortgages.

Homeowners in white, minority and mixed-race neighborhoods posted substantial gains in home equity between 2012 to 2018, said Redfin, Seattle.

Higher home values and rising mortgage rates are eroding housing affordability for homebuyers, especially in hot West Coast markets, said Zillow Inc., Seattle.

You’ve heard them on the radio or seen them on TV or print–those seemingly endless “disclaimers” issued at blinding speed by some John Moschitta wannabe at the end of an advertisement (or sometimes at the beginning) pushing important, often-unintelligible legal mumbo-jumbo out of the way.

ATTOM Data Solutions, Irvine, Calif., said with fewer homes available, home flipping in the second quarter fell to its lowest level since 2014.

First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif., reported loan defects in mortgage loan applications decreased by nearly 10 percent from a year ago–and said the real estate finance industry has fintech to thank.

Delinquency rates for commercial and multifamily mortgage loans were relatively flat in the second quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest Commercial/Multifamily Delinquency Report.

Fitch Ratings, New York, said U.S. non-bank mortgage lenders could face further margin pressure as interest rates continue to rise, owing to higher funding costs relative to banks with lower-cost, stable depository funding.