“Every disaster movie starts with the government ignoring a scientist.” Vendors and lenders can’t ignore red ink. Here in Kansas City, one of the discussion topics is how relationships are important during these days when the balance sheets of many lenders and vendors don’t look so great after, for many companies, several quarters of losses. How much pain do some owners want? Balance sheets were plump after 2020 and 2021, and warehouse banks and investor counterparties continue to do business with companies that are losing money based on those balance sheets along with the servicing income. Now? The MBA’s oft-quoted Marina Walsh, VP of Industry Analysis, reported, “Independent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a pre-tax net loss of $1,015 on each loan they originated in the third quarter of 2023, an increase from the reported loss of $534 per loan in the second quarter of 2023. (Today’s podcast can be f
Besides Janet Yellen’s In-N-Out foray, it is a rough environment out there: Hope you don’t want a Wells Fargo HELOC. Or just ask Citizens who is exiting the wholesale channel; More below on that. Many lenders are reporting unit volumes dropping by 50-70 percent, in part due to higher rates caused by inflation expectations. Buying stuff in the holidays will be more expensive this year, and here’s a personal tale of inflation. I happened to be near a See’s Candy store recently. Knowing that my daughter enjoys a treat from time to time, we went in and, without looking at the prices, bought a can of Toffee-ettes and a small box of mixed chocolates. It turns out that Sees’ prices are up to $32/pound for the mixed and the can of toffee was $29. The total was $48.00. I may-as-well have been buying Kobe beef. Holy smokes! (Today’s podcast can be found here, sponsored by LoanCare, the mortgage subservicer known for delivering superior customer experienc
This morning I head to Kansas, greeted by the news that Southwest is raising drink fees for the holidays. Has the “Let’s circle back after the holidays” season officially begun in your office or in your meetings with vendors? Chortles aside, one of the discussion topics in KC will certainly be the impending move in credit prices as lenders everywhere move toward charging borrowers up front. Whether the cost change is driven by Fair Isacc or the credit bureaus, and then being passed along by the CRAs, it doesn’t matter. It’s coming, and the jungle drums are saying the price changes will impact soft credit pulls, which (or course) many lenders implemented to reduce their costs with the amount of credit reports run as it’s cheaper than the full hard credit pull. Some lenders may use Freddie or Fannie AUS. (Today’s podcast can be found here, sponsored by LoanCare, the mortgage subservicer known for delivering superior customer experience thr
Vice Chair for Supervision Barr submitted identical remarks to the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, on November 15, 2023.…