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Mortgage News Daily News Feed

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MBS RECAP: Big Bounce Higher Ahead of Fed

Posted To: MBS Commentary

MBS Live : MBS Afternoon Market Summary In sort of an inverted reading of the recent script, bond markets weakened right out of the gate and began improving at 10am (several notable occasions in May have seen the opposite). From there, they kept on improving until hitting highs of the day at 2pm. For MBS it was a 20 tick swing all told, and Fannie 3.0s still hold 19 of those ticks (roughly a .625 move from lows to highs) but compared to yesterday's latest levels, only added about .375. Combine that with the fact that yesterday's latest levels were the worst of the day and it leaves today's highs right in line with yesterday's. Lenders passed on only token improvements in pricing ahead of more potential volatility tomorrow. Markets are eager to hear what Bernanke has to say in the morning when...(read more)

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Mortgage Rates Slightly Lower Ahead of Fed Minutes, Bernanke

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

Mortgage rates finally caught a break, moving just slightly lower for only the second time this month. For some, the drop in rates may be too little too late as it still doesn't put much of a dent in the losses suffered in May. Best-execution for Conventional, 30yr Fixed Loans is still between 3.625% and 3.75%, and we noted a few lenders who were priced significantly worse than yesterday despite the majority being moderately improved. The leading candidate for the root cause of all the recent volatility is the general disposition of the Fed toward QE3, the "quantitative easing" programs responsible for the Fed's large-scale asset purchases. To a large, but unknown extent, QE3 is one factor keeping mortgage rates low because it makes for massive, guaranteed buying demand for mortgage-backed...(read more)

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Most Real Estate Investors in CA Plan on Selling Inside 6 Years

Posted To: MND NewsWire

Recognizing that real estate investors have played a key role in the state's housing market recovery, the California Association of Realtors® (C.A.R.) recently surveyed its members about their interactions with investor customers and have developed a profile of investors and their behavior. Two-third of investors are following a long term strategy in investing, buying and holding property although three-quarters of intend to hold the property for less than six years . About one-quarter (26 percent) of inventors buy property in order to flip it. Most investors, about 75 percent , are what C.A.R. termed small mom-and-pop type , owning between one and ten investment properties. Fifteen percent own one property, 46 percent own two to five, and 14 percent own six to 10. Owners manage more than...(read more)

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MBS MID-DAY: Bond Markets Rallying. Wait... What?

Posted To: MBS Commentary

MBS Live : MBS Morning Market Summary Like a jilted lover learning how to trust again, MBS were tentative at first, and Treasuries hesitated at 1.97 as they descended from morning weakness, but both have rallied directionally since then. The possibility and/or hope is that the highest yields and lowest prices this morning, constituted some sort of final push to the furthest reaches of the pre-FOMC range. Big volume came into Treasuries 7 minutes before Fed's Bullard's speech in Frankfurt. Either the clocks in Germany are running 7 minutes fast or dealers saw inventory getting lighter after the Fed's buying operation in 7-10yr maturities. Supply/Demand imbalances can often have an effect on Treasuries during and after the Fed's scheduled Treasury buying from 10:15-11:00am. Whatever the case...(read more)

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Freddie's Non-Usage Fees; LO Comp, Land Sales, and Reg. E Tidbits - It's a Compliance World

Posted To: Pipeline Press

If you're like me and rest your weary eyes each night by reading the Fair Housing Act of 1968, then you don't need to be told that the act " prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of dwellings and in other housing-related activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin" . It would also come as no surprise to you that the good people over at HUD are chartered with the authority and responsibility for interpreting and enforcing the Fair Housing Act, with the power to make rules for implementation. The Act does not specify a standard for proving a discriminatory effect ( disparate impact ) violation. Notwithstanding this statutory omission, HUD and the eleven federal appellate courts that have ruled on this issue agree...(read more)

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