Refinance
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about refinancing a mortgage.Mortgage Lending Surged 38% in 2012 on Refinance Strength
Last year was a great year to be a loan originator. Next year probably not so much. This year, we’ll see. In 2012, residential mortgage lending increased by an impressive 38%, compared to volume seen a year earlier, according to ... Read More »
125% Second Mortgages Are Back Again…
It feels like we’re getting dangerously close to repeating history in the worst way possible. High-risk loan programs that seemed extinct were perhaps only endangered, as evidenced by a new product launch over at CashCall, an Orange County based company ... Read More »
Purchase Applications Grab Majority Share of Mortgage Market in July as Refinances Fade Away
There’s been a lot of fuss about the refinance market drying up lately, and we now know it’s not just noise. Last month, purchase-money mortgages gobbled up the majority share of the overall mortgage market, according to the latest Origination ... Read More »
The LendingTree Mortgage Negotiator Makes Home Loan Shopping Anonymous
Everyone’s heard of the Priceline Negotiator, but what about LendingTree Mortgage Negotiator? I hadn’t heard about it until last week, when a commercial popped up on my television pitching the new system. I love scrutinizing mortgage companies and their products ... Read More »
Goodbye Refi: Only 55% of Mortgages Have Above-Market Interest Rates
The last couple of months have been rough, real rough, assuming you work in the mortgage industry. Sure, things aren’t terrible, but I’ll assume most participants would prefer to be living in May 2013, as opposed to August 2013. After ... Read More »
Obama Answered My Question About HARP 3
This week has been all about Obama, at least on this blog. The President has been making the rounds, visiting multiple locations on the West Coast to discuss the state of the economy, housing, and of course, mortgages. After a ... Read More »
Mortgage Jobs on the Line as Rates Rise
There’s been plenty of debate lately about the potential consequences of rising mortgage rates, with an outright housing recovery derailment topping the list of concerns. However, most economists have been quick to downplay the risks of rising rates, which have ... Read More »
Chart: Look How Many Homeowners Could Benefit From HARP 3.0
I’ve discussed the idea of an enhanced Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) on several occasions, though nothing has actually materialized. Whether it’s HARP 3.0, #MyRefi, or reHARPing, there’s no argument that the guidelines could be eased quite a bit to ... Read More »
Don’t Choose a Mortgage Lender for Their Sales Gimmick
As competition heats up, banks and lenders will likely ramp up efforts to get their hands on your mortgage, using all types of pitches and gimmicks to separate themselves from the crowd. But mortgages aren’t cool or exciting, so any ... Read More »
Everyone I Know Is Trying to Refinance
There’s been a lot of talk (and worry) that the higher mortgage rates of late might derail the apparent housing market recovery. After all, many believe the only reason things were improving was because of the ultra-low rates the Fed ... Read More »
