Mortgage rates have increased nearly half a point since January. According to the MBA weekly survey, mortgage applications have fallen in eight of the last nine weeks. Rising rates have led to less refinancing activity. In mid-February, their share of mortgage applications dropped below 70% for the first time since October 2020. The purchase marketRead More
Recent figures reveal that an estimated 16 million Americans are self-employed, many of whom are hopeful homebuyers but may find it difficult to qualify for a mortgage without a more traditional W-2 income. What can you do to help them? Fortunately, combining bank statements with an additional source of information (or two), can be anRead More
The non-QM market, predicted to rise by as much as 400% this year, continues to be an important lending channel for many mortgage bankers. Particularly when 2020 is expected to see a slight decline in originations, finding new ways to replace volume is more crucial than ever. A recent survey of loan officers found aRead More
Quick quiz: What is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the mortgage industry? Answer: The non-QM market, potentially growing by as much as 400% in 2019. Many new entrants jumped into the non-QM space this year, highlighting the opportunity to expand product offerings and hedge against changing market conditions through non-QM lending. Still skeptical? HereRead More
While the lower interest rates have been a surprise for mortgage lenders, there are still borrowers who do not qualify for conventional loans through the agencies (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac). But are these prospective borrowers just out of luck or is there a responsible alternative for these creditworthy applicants? Let’s examine two common situations: Self-Employed –Read More
Conference season is upon us and it is expected that non-QM will be one of the hottest topics at shows. The non-QM market is likely to grow by as much as 400% during 2019, a year in which overall originations were predicted to be flat, highlighting their necessity in the current market environment. When scoresRead More
In the years following the 2008 financial crisis, many aspiring homeowners found that lenders’ underwriting requirements had increased to such a degree that many creditworthy borrowers were finding it difficult or impossible to qualify. Just over ten years later, the underlying challenges apparently still remain. The Urban Institute recently reported that over 45 million U.S.Read More
The latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index reveals that overall home price growth continues to show signs of slowing, a good sign for homebuyers looking to break into the market. However, many metro areas posted above average price gains, and affordability in those cities is a major concern. For example, pricesRead More
It certainly took some time, but a decade after the housing crisis, most analysts seem to agree that credit availability is slowly heading in the right direction. But if it seems like a large number of mortgage applications are still being rejected – many from creditworthy borrowers who simply don’t fit traditional guidelines – that’sRead More
“Today’s average American home buyer is young, educated and becoming increasingly more diverse.” – Zillow There’s little doubt that the U.S. borrower base is rapidly changing and becoming more diverse. That diversity includes millennials, self-employed, investors, foreign nationals, and those with imperfect credit. Yet, despite some loosening, conventional lending guidelines have failed to keep paceRead More
No matter how you view it, the traditional credit box is changing. The need for responsible risk management will not change, but the traditional process of evaluating whether borrowers are creditworthy – or not – is transforming. At Verus Mortgage Capital, we often hear from lenders who don’t think that traditional lending standards are keepingRead More