Latest news
24th August, 26
Borrower Analysis, 1st Lien HELOC, Ginnie eNote Products; Webcasts Approaching; NEXA/UMortgage Deal
“People make their wealth out of one investment. People keep their wealth by diversifying their investments.” Owning mortgage servicing rights has created wealth for many companies, and STRATMOR’s current blog is, “Those Monthly Payments Go Somewhere.” I am glad that all my 401(k) isn’t in Agency shares: Fannie Mae’s stock is down 42 percent this year, and Freddie’s is down 45 percent. Although there is a steady stream of informal communication, things have been somewhat quiet formally from the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte and the FHFA in recent
Borrower Analysis, 1st Lien HELOC, Ginnie eNote Products; Webcasts Approaching; NEXA/UMortgage Deal
“People make their wealth out of one investment. People keep their wealth by diversifying their investments.” Owning mortgage servicing rights has created wealth for many companies, and STRATMOR’s current blog is, “Those Monthly Payments Go Somewhere.” I am glad that all my 401(k) isn’t in Agency shares: Fannie Mae’s stock is down 42 percent this year, and Freddie’s is down 45 percent. Although there is a steady stream of informal communication, things have been somewhat quiet formally from the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte and the FHFA in recent
24th August, 26
Slightly Stronger Start Mostly Due to Oil. Treasury News Fails to Inspire (Again)
Once again, Treasury is out with news about bond buying plans with two officials saying the Treasury General Account (TGA) could be used to fund long-end buybacks. TGA is Treasury's bank account. It gets money from taxes, Treasury issuance, tariffs, etc. Therefore, any way you slice it, Treasury bond buying = government spending, unlike Fed QE. At best, it can influence the yield curve, but it can't artificially suppress yields overall. This is why the bond market won't embark on a big, sustained rally in response to Treasury bond buying, no matter how big a deal financial media makes of the
Slightly Stronger Start Mostly Due to Oil. Treasury News Fails to Inspire (Again)
Once again, Treasury is out with news about bond buying plans with two officials saying the Treasury General Account (TGA) could be used to fund long-end buybacks. TGA is Treasury's bank account. It gets money from taxes, Treasury issuance, tariffs, etc. Therefore, any way you slice it, Treasury bond buying = government spending, unlike Fed QE. At best, it can influence the yield curve, but it can't artificially suppress yields overall. This is why the bond market won't embark on a big, sustained rally in response to Treasury bond buying, no matter how big a deal financial media makes of the
21st August, 26
Incidental Weakness. Bigger Considerations on The Horizon
Incidental Weakness. Bigger Considerations on The Horizon Without any data or compelling market movers, bonds came into the day light on inspiration. Low volume/liquidity left the door open for any determined traders to have a bigger-than-normal influence on the market. That arguably happened between 9am and 10:30am ET with both stocks and bonds losing ground simultaneously. This coincided perfectly with an uptick in Fed rate hike expectations seen via near-term Fed Funds Futures. Market Movement Recap 08:34 AM Sideways to slightly stronger overnight. MBS up 1 tick (.03) and 10yr down
Incidental Weakness. Bigger Considerations on The Horizon
Incidental Weakness. Bigger Considerations on The Horizon Without any data or compelling market movers, bonds came into the day light on inspiration. Low volume/liquidity left the door open for any determined traders to have a bigger-than-normal influence on the market. That arguably happened between 9am and 10:30am ET with both stocks and bonds losing ground simultaneously. This coincided perfectly with an uptick in Fed rate hike expectations seen via near-term Fed Funds Futures. Market Movement Recap 08:34 AM Sideways to slightly stronger overnight. MBS up 1 tick (.03) and 10yr down
21st August, 26
Mortgage Rates Drift Modestly Higher
For all practical purposes, Friday's mortgage rates were unchanged versus Thursday's, but if we're splitting hairs, the average lender rose 0.01% to 6.77% for a top tier 30yr fixed. While many news outlets continue focusing on the mid-week announcement regarding Treasury's bond buyback program, today's bond market volatility was unrelated. Current levels are close to where they were before Wednesday's announcement and that makes sense to anyone who Wednesday's market reaction as 'overdone.' The upcoming week offers much more economic data in addition to potentially relevant
Mortgage Rates Drift Modestly Higher
For all practical purposes, Friday's mortgage rates were unchanged versus Thursday's, but if we're splitting hairs, the average lender rose 0.01% to 6.77% for a top tier 30yr fixed. While many news outlets continue focusing on the mid-week announcement regarding Treasury's bond buyback program, today's bond market volatility was unrelated. Current levels are close to where they were before Wednesday's announcement and that makes sense to anyone who Wednesday's market reaction as 'overdone.' The upcoming week offers much more economic data in addition to potentially relevant
21st August, 26
Housing Starts Drop in July as Permits Point to Stronger Future Activity
Residential construction pulled back in July as housing starts and completions declined from June levels, while building permits rebounded. The latest Census Bureau data suggests builders remained cautious about active construction, even as the increase in permits pointed to somewhat stronger activity ahead. Privately owned housing starts fell 12.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.239 million , down 13.5% from the July 2025 pace. Single-family starts declined 9.9% to 808k , while starts for buildings containing five units or more fell to 421k . Building permits reversed course as
Housing Starts Drop in July as Permits Point to Stronger Future Activity
Residential construction pulled back in July as housing starts and completions declined from June levels, while building permits rebounded. The latest Census Bureau data suggests builders remained cautious about active construction, even as the increase in permits pointed to somewhat stronger activity ahead. Privately owned housing starts fell 12.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.239 million , down 13.5% from the July 2025 pace. Single-family starts declined 9.9% to 808k , while starts for buildings containing five units or more fell to 421k . Building permits reversed course as
21st August, 26
Pending Home Sales Slip 2.3% in July
Pending home sales declined again in July as elevated mortgage rates and record-high home prices continued to weigh on buyer demand. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), which tracks signed contracts on existing homes, fell 2.3% from June and was down 2.2% from a year earlier, reaching its lowest level since January 2026. The latest report points to continued affordability challenges for prospective buyers. Higher borrowing costs and elevated home prices are keeping many buyers on the sidelines, while homes are taking longer to sell and fewer buyers are
Pending Home Sales Slip 2.3% in July
Pending home sales declined again in July as elevated mortgage rates and record-high home prices continued to weigh on buyer demand. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), which tracks signed contracts on existing homes, fell 2.3% from June and was down 2.2% from a year earlier, reaching its lowest level since January 2026. The latest report points to continued affordability challenges for prospective buyers. Higher borrowing costs and elevated home prices are keeping many buyers on the sidelines, while homes are taking longer to sell and fewer buyers are
21st August, 26
Builder Confidence Technically Higher But Still Sideways in The Big Picture
Builder sentiment improved slightly in August, but confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes remained subdued as elevated mortgage rates, rising construction costs and broader economic uncertainty continued to weigh on the industry. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) increased one point to 35 , marking the 16th consecutive month the index has remained below 40. This latest reading reflects all the familiar challenges facing builders, including affordability pressures, elevated material costs and weak demand for spec homes
Builder Confidence Technically Higher But Still Sideways in The Big Picture
Builder sentiment improved slightly in August, but confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes remained subdued as elevated mortgage rates, rising construction costs and broader economic uncertainty continued to weigh on the industry. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) increased one point to 35 , marking the 16th consecutive month the index has remained below 40. This latest reading reflects all the familiar challenges facing builders, including affordability pressures, elevated material costs and weak demand for spec homes
21st August, 26
No Major Changes in Mortgage Demand
Mortgage application activity was little changed last week as higher mortgage rates continued to weigh on purchase demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 0.4% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending August 14. Purchase applications decreased 2% from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis and were 3% below the same week one year ago. MBA Deputy Chief Economist Joel Kan said affordability difficulties have reemerged as a reason for some homebuyers to delay purchase decisions, citing the impact of higher mortgage rates
No Major Changes in Mortgage Demand
Mortgage application activity was little changed last week as higher mortgage rates continued to weigh on purchase demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 0.4% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending August 14. Purchase applications decreased 2% from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis and were 3% below the same week one year ago. MBA Deputy Chief Economist Joel Kan said affordability difficulties have reemerged as a reason for some homebuyers to delay purchase decisions, citing the impact of higher mortgage rates
21st August, 26
AI Production, Product Launch, Processing Tools; Webcasts; Lender M&A; LO Tips
LOs tell me that they are counseling potential borrowers. “If you’re in the market for a home, focus on the things you can control. Save for your down payment which can be less than 20 percent, but the more you can put down, the less you have to borrow and the lower your monthly payments. Consider your priorities. Can you live further from the city and save a little money? Do you need a fourth bedroom or will three do for now? Understand clearly your ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ and be ready to compromise. Shop around for your mortgage. Don’t just go to your primary bank or get a loan
AI Production, Product Launch, Processing Tools; Webcasts; Lender M&A; LO Tips
LOs tell me that they are counseling potential borrowers. “If you’re in the market for a home, focus on the things you can control. Save for your down payment which can be less than 20 percent, but the more you can put down, the less you have to borrow and the lower your monthly payments. Consider your priorities. Can you live further from the city and save a little money? Do you need a fourth bedroom or will three do for now? Understand clearly your ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ and be ready to compromise. Shop around for your mortgage. Don’t just go to your primary bank or get a loan
21st August, 26
Summertime Data-Free Friday Mystery Box
Bonds were a hair stronger overnight and are now a hair weaker at 9:15am ET. They may flip back and forth a few more times before the close. Ultimately, data-free summertime Fridays are fairly random events. If no big players have big intentions, they can fizzle sideways. But due to lower participation, if big trades come through, they can have a bigger impact than normal. As long as yields remain in the prevailing consolidation pattern, nothing of high consequence is happening
Summertime Data-Free Friday Mystery Box
Bonds were a hair stronger overnight and are now a hair weaker at 9:15am ET. They may flip back and forth a few more times before the close. Ultimately, data-free summertime Fridays are fairly random events. If no big players have big intentions, they can fizzle sideways. But due to lower participation, if big trades come through, they can have a bigger impact than normal. As long as yields remain in the prevailing consolidation pattern, nothing of high consequence is happening