Originations

The nation's largest bank is temporarily reducing its exposure to the mortgage market amid rising unemployment and estimates that home prices could drop by 10%.

The move is part of an effort by CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger to help smaller lenders by significantly raising loan thresholds for collecting and reporting mortgage data.

Refinancing activity is surging, existing borrowers are inquiring about loan modifications, loan closings are being delayed by more complex credit checks — and banks are short on people to handle it all.

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With interest rates and unemployment at rock-bottom lows and home values rising, the part of JPMorgan's retail business that sells home loans to consumers made money last month, marking the first profitable January in five years, according to people familiar with the matter.

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Refinance application activity last week was the highest in nearly seven years, with more than triple the volume from one year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Banks' lowering of origination fees and loosening of underwriting standards often foreshadow a downturn.

JPMorgan Chase may jump back into a mortgage program that helps low-income Americans buy homes, mulling a return years after most banks pulled back from the business in frustration over billions of dollars in penalties.

Mike Weinbach, chief executive of the home lending business, is departing JPMorgan Chase after 16 years.

The FHFA’s attempt to move some of its balance sheet into the private sector could leave investors with greater liabilities than they were initially told.

The SoFi co-founder said Figure Technologies is working with national banks to employ its distributed ledger tech for loan originations.

Wealthfront will add third-party mortgages to its investing platform, while Varo Money says robo advice and mortgages are in its long-term plans.

Loan limits for most mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy will exceed $500,000 for the first time ever next year, and the maximum for most high-cost areas will be $765,000.

The housing market has changed dramatically since 2002 but the current appraisal limit has not. It's time for NCUA to catch up.

Financial regulators have been put on notice about the risk of an economically damaging cash crunch in the home mortgage market. Behind the concern: the rapid growth of shadow banks in the origination and servicing of home loans.

President Xi wants faster research on blockchain, the technology behind digital currencies; low rates bring best home loan quarter in 14 years.

While 79% of mortgages nationwide were for primary residences, 92% of credit union mortgage loans fall into that category.

Diane Morais, the head of consumer and commercial banking for Ally Bank, is forthright about what went wrong after her institutions started offering mortgages in 2017 — and how the institution went about fixing the situation.

With long-term interest rates at historic lows, mortgage refinancing is coming on strong. But that additional revenue may not be enough to offset net interest margin pressures and lost servicing income.