Capital markets

Mortgage bonds are finding ready buyers in REITs flush with cash

Mortgage REITs are snapping up bonds backed by US home loans at a pace last seen before the pandemic, taking advantage of relatively cheap valuations and rallies in their own shares that helped them raise fresh cash. These real estate investment trusts are expected to buy about $30 billion of mortgage debt securities on a […]

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Why cap markets tech use has grown and what it means for LOs

New data shows growing use of product, pricing and eligibility engines has given nonbank mortgage executives, their loan officers and others more immediate access to capital-markets information that could be a competitive advantage. It also points to opportunities that could jumpstart mortgage professionals’ careers, depending on their goals and interest in these developments. Most of

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Fed cuts but only some mortgage rates are moving lower

The Federal Open Market Committee’s decision to meet broad expectations for a 25 basis point cut might not give many people in the market for a home loan the break they anticipated. “What does that do for mortgage rates? I think we’ve already seen that show up. The last three, four weeks, we’ve seen mortgage

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What underserved market supporters want to see in GSE reform

Affordable housing groups weighing on behalf of underserved communities are advocating for a cautious approach to the government-sponsored enterprise reform the Trump administration is pursuing. “Any changes to the enterprises cannot raise costs on renters and homeowners,” the Underserved Mortgage Markets Coalition said in laying out one of its priorities for reform as administration officials

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Why mortgage lenders haven’t waited for the Fed to cut rates

Home lenders were already pricing in a 25 basis-point Federal Open Market Committee cut as a key monetary meeting got underway Tuesday, suggesting that it’ll take an outcome beyond that for them to move lower. “If they cut 25 basis points and the narrative is neutral, and reasonable people can disagree or debate what neutral

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Fed ‘Operation Mortgage Twist’ would boost housing: Pimco

The Federal Reserve may be poised to resume interest-rate cuts this week, but it could do more to ease US mortgage costs and stimulate housing by using different tools involving its balance sheet, says Pacific Investment Management Co. Even as traders fully expect the Fed to cut their short-term target by a quarter-point toward 4%

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Homebuilder sentiment stays low despite mortgage-rate drop

Sentiment among U.S. homebuilders remained at one of its lowest levels in years this month, underscoring the deep freeze in the housing market despite a recent drop in mortgage rates. An index of market conditions from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo was unchanged at 32 in September, similar to economists’ estimates

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Enterprises’ NPL sales reduce bad assets to a 9-year low

Two large government-related investors saw their annual nonperforming-loan sales reverse course and resume an upward trend for the first time since 2021, adding to signs that more distressed mortgages are slowly making their way to market as pandemic restrictions get lifted. The number of NPLs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac sold in 2024 rose to

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Why MBA is renewing opposition to a Fannie-Freddie merger

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s chief issued a reminder of why it has opposed merging two influential government-sponsored loan buyers as federal officials signaled momentum in pursuing a public offering. “Creating a government-conferred monopoly would diminish innovation, degrade service to market participants and heighten systemic risk,” MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit said in a blog

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LitFinancial turns to crypto for mortgage funding

Mortgage correspondent lender LitFinancial has launched a stablecoin on an Ethereum blockchain with the initial aim of improving its treasury efficiency and reducing its cost of capital. Lit, based in Troy Michigan, is working with Brale, a stablecoin-as-a-service platform, and Stably, a stablecoin advisory firm, on the new token which is named litUSD. Brale is

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