HousingWire Daily

In today’s Daily Download episode, HousingWire covers speculation on whether not the Federal Housing Finance Agency is delaying the implementation of a fee that would add a 0.5% surcharge to refinance mortgages sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.For some background on the story, here’s a summary of the article:According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has been communicating with mortgage industry groups about delaying the implementation of a fee which would add a 0.5% surcharge to refinance mortgages sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac starting Sept. 1. According to the article, the FHFA is considering a delay to the adverse market fee implementation date, but is not planning to rescind it. The FHFA has been widely criticized both for the reasoning given for the fee and the short three-week notice to lenders and homeowners already in the middle of a refinance process.Dave Stevens, former president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association and former commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration, told HousingWire on Saturday that, “If true, it seems clear that Director Calabria listened to industry concerns about the impact of this short time frame to implement. And while the logic of the fee remains in question, this is a good sign and hopefully will lead to a change in behavior going forward where impact assessment conversations can take place prior to major policy announcements.”Following the main story, HousingWire covers an announcement from the Federal Reserve that it has purchased about $892 billion of agency mortgage-backed securities, and a claim from a research associate at the Urban Institute that there’s a problem with the data measuring delinquency and forbearance requests.The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd.HousingWire articles covered in this episode: Is the FHFA about to delay the refi fee?  Fed purchases of agency MBS total $892 billion There’s a problem with the data measuring delinquency and forbearance

Today’s Daily Download episode features an interview with Jarred Kessler, Co-Founder and CEO of real estate tech company EasyKnock. In this episode, Kessler speaks with HousingWire about the U.S. real estate market and weighs in on whether or not it's likely to experience another dip. During the interview, Kessler delves into how the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the housing industry and what trends he’s watching in the real estate market."The housing market was acting particularly healthy between the months of March to June, and you're starting to see less support or backstop from the government,” Kessler said. “I think you're going to see a major shift from inventory being scarce to people starting to panic and the housing market starting to really soften up, especially in urban areas where people are leaving to get more space and lower tax areas.”The EasyKnock CEO also discusses the current state of the housing industry and its increase in supply and demand, and shares his thoughts on whether it will continue to grow or ease up."I think [homebuyer demand] can continue to go up in the short term, but I just don’t think it’s sustainable,” Kessler said. “There’s too much damage in the economy in the underbelly right now, to where I believe it will eventually trickle into the real estate market.”The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported by the HousingWire newsroom team. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria WickhamHousingWire articles covered in this episode: Can the housing market withstand the coronavirus? Sales of new houses jump to a 13-year high  Sales of higher-priced properties drive California median home price to new high in July New home construction shoots up 22.6% in July COVID-19 changed women's attraction to homeownership Are cities really seeing an exodus? Zillow says urban areas have more in common with suburbs than you think

In today’s Daily Download episode, HousingWire covers Realtor.com’s newly released list of 2020’s hottest housing markets according to zip code. For some background on the story, here’s a summary of the article:Compared to last year, the housing market this year has seen some big changes. Notably, people are moving inland from the large cities as the pandemic has created a coastal exodus, prompting apartment dwellers to seek more space and big yards.Realtor.com released its hottest ZIP codes of 2020 report on Tuesday, which revealed that more towns in the Northeast made the list than last year.“The hottest zip codes have bucked the national trend of a housing market slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Danielle Hale, realtor.com’s chief economist said in the report.“Even during the pandemic, homes in the hottest markets were selling at a blistering pace, with the median days on market in all of the top neighborhoods being under a month,” Hale said. “Likewise, all of the hottest zip codes saw demand increase, with rising views per property on realtor.com compared to last year.”Following the main story, HousingWire covers an article that discusses the launch of the new builder review feature on Zillow, as well as Freddie Mac’s Weekly Primary Mortgage Market survey that indicates this week's mortgage rates rose on risk assessment.The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode: Here are 2020's hottest housing markets according to ZIP code Zillow launches consumer-generated builder review feature US mortgage rates rise on risk assessment

In today’s Daily Download episode, Mortgage Marketing Radio’s Geoff Zimpfer and HousingWire Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler discuss forbearance reporting, housing inventory and home prices.For some background on the interview, here’s a brief summary of HousingWire’s latest article on forbearance rates:The forbearance rate for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac dropped to 4.94% in the first week of August, the first time it’s been below 5% since April, the Mortgage Bankers Association said in a report on Monday.The rate for mortgages backed by government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs, fell 25 basis points from the prior week, according to the report.Overall, the forbearance rate fell 23 basis points from the prior week to 7.21%, representing 3.6 million mortgages, MBA said.“Borrowers with conventional mortgages have been faring somewhat better throughout the current crisis, and there is no sign to date from these data that the risk to the GSEs is increasing,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s chief economist.The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac forbearance rate drops below 5% Low mortgage rates and low inventory resulted in more bidding wars in July, Redfin says When it comes to home sales, August is the new May, keeping agents busy into the fall

In today’s Daily Download episode, HousingWire covers a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association that indicates the forbearance rate for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have dropped below 5%.For some background on the story, here’s a summary of the article:The forbearance rate for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac dropped to 4.94% in the first week of August, the first time it’s been below 5% since April, the Mortgage Bankers Association said in a report on Monday.The rate for mortgages backed by government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs, fell 25 basis points from the prior week, according to the report.Overall, the forbearance rate fell 23 basis points from the prior week to 7.21%, representing 3.6 million mortgages, MBA said. The forbearance share for loans in Ginnie Mae securities – meaning, mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration, the Veterans Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – fell 52 basis points to 9.54%, though some of that decline stems from delinquent loans being sold off and reported in the private portfolio category, the report said. Following the main story, HousingWire covers a study from Redfin that suggests new interest from city dwellers is raising home prices in rural areas and a joint report from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo that claims America’s western region is showing the most promise as builder confidence returned to a record high across the country.The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac forbearance rate drops below 5% New interest from city dwellers raising home prices in rural areas The West showing the most promise as builder confidence returns to record high

On today’s episode, HousingWire Editor at Large Kathleen Howley is here to discuss her recent HW+ article on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s announcement last Wednesday to impose a 0.5% fee on refinance mortgages, and how this decision could become an election issue. For some background on the story, here’s a summary of the article:Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two largest mortgage financiers in the world, on Wednesday night announced they would impose a 0.5% fee on every refinanced mortgage starting Sept. 1. Look for it to become an issue in the campaign.The new fee “exposes President Trump to charges that he is trying to tax housing at the height of the economic crisis,” said Jaret Seiberg, managing director of Cowen Group, a Washington D.C. research firm. “That is a political liability for the president. We expect Democrats will exploit this.”For borrowers refinancing their mortgages, the new fee probably will cost them about $1,400 per loan, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. That’s money that could have gone toward bolstering the economy in the form of consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of the nation’s GDP.The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode: Fannie, Freddie fee hike may become an election issue New fee on mortgage refinances could cost homeowners $1,400

In today’s Daily Download episode, Mark Watson, chief analytics officer at iEmergent, speaks with HousingWire’s Junior Digital Producer Victoria Wickham about the newly released 2020-2024 U.S Total Mortgage Volume Forecast.iEmergent’s forecast projects this year’s total residential mortgage lending could reach as high as $3.21 trillion, primarily driven by a refinance market that could also reach as high as $2.26 trillion.Watson said one reason behind the refinance volume is low mortgage interest rates."The cost of getting a mortgage now is as cheapest it's ever been," Watson said. "We think that everybody is going to adjust to this new normal and next year should should be back on an upward trajectory."Watson also discusses the biggest factors impacting the purchase and refinance market and shares one major concern over the health of the housing market from potential problems arising due to mortgage payment forbearances.If borrowers end up defaulting and having to go into foreclosure, it "presents a real problem for the entire housing market,” he said. According to the latest report from the Mortgage Bankers Association, approximately 4.2 million homeowners are now in forbearance.Closing out the interview, Watson said, "We still have a situation where the inventory of homes available for sale is still very tight, but for potential homebuyers that find a home that they like and that they can afford, now it's certainly a great time to buy."The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom team. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.

Today’s Daily Download episode features an interview with Bob Broeksmit, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association. Broeksmit discusses the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s recent decision to implement a new fee on mortgage refinances, a decision that was made without prior counsel from the MBA. “[This] puts into effect a massive price increase with virtually no notice, meaning that hundreds of millions of dollars will be taken from the pockets of lenders who cannot pass along this unanticipated cost and worse, consumers will be on the hook for billions starting today when everybody's costs went up by half a point,” Broeksmit said. “It's outrageous and unprecedented.”The announcement, released at the end of the day on Wednesday, stated that refinance mortgage loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac after Sept. 1 will include a new adverse-market refinance fee of 0.5%. This fee will be assessed for both cash-out and no-cash-out refinances, and it could cost homeowner’s $1,400, a move Broeksmit said is disturbing beyond belief.“At a time when the country is reeling economically, and the government is trying to provide relief and stimulus to this shaken economy,” Broeksmit said. “To grab $1,400 dollars per loan on low-risk refinances at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is disturbing beyond belief.”The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode:New fee on mortgage refinances could cost homeowners $1,400

Today’s Daily Download episode features an interview with Maurice Jourdain-Earl, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Compliance Tech. In this episode, Maurice discusses his LinkedIn article that tackles the COVID-19 forbearance mortarium, in which he says enlarges the wound caused by a lack of black homeownership in America. Jourdain-Earl explains why he believes Section 4022 of the CARES Actwill have a disparate impact on black Americans and shares what HMDA data reveals about racial disparities regarding federally backed mortgage loans. According to him, as the vast majority of black Americans are renters, programs intended to aid homeowners will largely benefit white America, which he says will further the homeownership gap. “I believe there is power in data, and one of the reasons I wrote this particular piece was to provide some exposure and touch on how the CARES Act can be executed in a way that the [overall] public can benefit,” he said. “I also believe the use of this data can bring about a greater sense of knowledge on the dual mortgage market that we have in America that is separate and unequal.” Notably, Jourdain-Earl also discusses mortgage data from ComplianceTech, that he says reveals racial disparities regarding the lending patterns of federally backed mortgage loans. “The bottom line is this, if you are black in America, you are more than three times likely to get a government loan than a conventional loan, and data is beginning to show that lenders that do not originate a large share of government loans are more likely to have a redlining profile,” he said.The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom team. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode:·      FHA extends foreclosure and eviction moratorium again·      HMDA data presents sobering picture of Black homeownership in 2019·      [PULSE] Housing discrimination: It's real and not just a tweet·      HUD allocates $472 million of CARES Act funding for low-income households

Today’s Daily Download episode features an interview with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers President Donnell Williams about the termination of the Obama-era AFFH fair housing rule. According to Williams, the termination will have a negative impact on fair housing as it will leave many Americans vulnerable to housing discrimination.  “This will have a negative impact on fair housing, and it’s actually pretty horrible that the rule was rescinded as we were just starting to make headway in housing discrimination,” Williams said. “I mean, it takes time to have an impact, and the termination of the rule basically creates an atmosphere of fear. It set us back quite a bit, to be honest.”When talking about President Donald Trump’s tweets regarding the termination, which ignited uproar from the housing industry as many perceived them to be prejudice, Donell said they were inherently offensive and stroked the flames of racism.“I think they are dog whistles and are at its core racist. Without a doubt, it’s sending a [certain] message to some folks that is causing fear. It's just crazy talk,” Williams said. “I mean, you've got bad apples on both sides. So, to label everyone is really not a good thing.”“It’s a good thing to have integrated neighborhoods. If people can afford to live or build in a certain area, they shouldn't be condemned,” Donnell said.” If [Trump] continues to stroke the fire, it could lead to neighbors becoming upset and having a misconception behind the purpose of fair housing.”The Daily Download examines the most compelling articles reported from the HousingWire newsroom team. Each afternoon, we provide our listeners with a deeper look into the stories coming across our newsroom that are helping Move Markets Forward. Hosted by the HW team and produced by Alcynna Lloyd and Victoria Wickham.HousingWire articles covered in this episode:·      HUD to abolish Obama-era AFFH fair housing rule·      NAREB town hall: Here are strategies to improve Black homeownership·      NAR comes out strong against AFFH fair housing rule termination·      Julian Castro on Trump’s AFFH tweet: “It’s a naked ploy to drum up racial fears and white resentment”