“Rob, earlier this week you posted some ‘units funded’ information from the MBA showing a dramatic decline from a few years ago. Dollar-wise, certainly we’re nowhere near the $4+ trillion funded in 2021. What are some of the other MBA thoughts about 2023 and beyond?” Wise economists will tell you, “If you’re going to put a number on it, don’t put a date on it, and if you’re going to put a date on it, don’t put a number on it.” That said, for total originations of 1-4 unit mortgages, the MBA expects 2022 to clock in at $2.2 trillion, 2023 at $1.8 trillion, and then move higher in 2024 to $2.3 trillion. The MBA also is predicting that mortgage debt outstanding (1-4 family) will be somewhat steady at $13.4-$13.8 trillion, especially given all those 30-year fixed rate mortgages at less than 3.5 percent, but for 30-year interest rates to drop to near 5.50 percent range by year end as the U.S. economy slows som
Our industry continues to be battered. Starwood Capital-backed Reverse Mortgage Funding and its parent company Reverse Mortgage Investment Trust have filed for bankruptcy. Inlanta Mortgage told the state of Wisconsin it plans to wind down its business. Switching gears, to celebrate the first day of December, spend 5 minutes taking one of my favorite quizzes, focused on figuring out where you’re from based on the words you use for certain common things. (What do you call the little bug that rolls up into a ball when you touch it? Sneakers versus tennis shoes? Y’all versus you guys?) It’s uncanny! What isn’t uncanny are the number of predictions we’ve heard about a recession, many dating from nearly a year ago. Recessions generally mean lower rates. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan says that a "mild recession" is likely next year but that concerns about a more severe downturn appear to be abating, noting households have maintained st
Now that we have passed the unofficial end of summer, am I allowed or not allowed to wear white on Zoom calls before 2023’s Memorial Day? Maybe darker-hued clothing better suits the current mortgage landscape. Labor Day became an official holiday in 1894 and was quickly followed by the subjective rule that if you didn't have the money to take fall and winter vacations you should refrain from wearing white, but no one in 2022 should feel the need to follow it. Culture is always changing and understanding that will help mortgage companies with retention. It is a different time than when many of us entered the industry. Heck, the 96-year old queen of England stars in TikToks now. Investors are “socially conscious” in allocating capital, even down to how they support affordable housing and provide access to credit for underserved individuals. Mortgage companies are hoping that changes from Washington D.C., including the plan to forgive loan debt, could help con